w
PRINCETON, N. J.
Collection of Puritan Literature.
Division
Section
Number
/o7ol
i
7
4 ;.; «
fcHRISTS CORONATION f
OR, #
X The Covenant, renewed with the Caufes thereof ***
& and Manner of GOING about it, with fome Notes of *&?
Jjfc the Prefaces, Lectures, and Sermons, before and *gfr
2£ After the Solemn Aftion, June 2.8. 1715. ztBlack- *£■
f *>
#, / #
2£ By John Adamfon, Minijier, of the new Tefiament. ™.
f i f
# #
3£I/*. 24. 3. 4. 5"; The SarfJB, alfo is defiled under ^
*§£ the Inhabitants thereof, becaufe they have g&
^ tranfgrefled the Laws, changed the Ordinance, 2?-
^*** and broken the Ever lofting Covenant* Ezelk.^^
*$>* 17. i$. Shall he efcape, that doth fuch things.. ftai 1 **£
gj& he break ray Covenant and be delivered. 7\7>fc. V.
2ff £• .34* Neither have we our Kings, our Princes, «jS(f
*joJ Pn'^j or Fathers, keeped thy Law for they *gfc
^ have 'not ferved thee in this Kingdom in thy great *r?
O?*- Goodnefs and for the good Land wkich "thou *§j*
;£} gaveft to our Fathers behold we are Servants in it **fc
<p> And becaufe of all this we Make a fure Cave-^<£
3|P nant. Can, 3. n. Go forth O ye JDaagfeterj of$&
3g* Zzo», and behold King Solomon, with the Crown tSk
wherewith his Mother, Crowned him in the Day W
of his Effoufals and in the Day of the GUdnefs gfe
of his Heart. ^ ^r
&
%
*fc ■ ' w
@. Printed in the Year, 1720. %
( 3 )
TO THE
READER.
IF thou be Oae fenfible that thou haft brok-
en thy Covenant with GOD, and are
not amind to r«new it; I am not covet-
ing thy Favour, neither fears thy Feud;
For as thou efteemed thy Covenant with
GOD little worth, fodo I thy Praife or
Reproach ; 'tis not to pleafe but to convince
that I put thefe Sheets into thy Hand i; Yea,
and to rebuke thee /harply, That thou may
come, if poffible, to be found in the Faith,
and to make up the breach betwixt GOD
and You ; and 1 give it here under my Hand,
if G O D and you were once agreed, your
Controverfy and mine is at an end, Jer. L.
4, 5. Secondly If thou be a Reader that art
for worldly Pomp and Grandour, and de-
fpifes to be fo meanly imployed in a Work
that the Country will make a Fool of thee
for, Hook for no Comendation at thy Hand,
A 2 wh$>
( 4 )
who am a poor Bodie weeping before a de
parting Ark, a departing GOD, and a de-
proud carnally
; T)aroid in her
„_ re bicing before
the Ark of the G O D of Ifrae J, ^and the Glo-
ry, and mocking laid, How Glorious was
the King cf Ijrael to Day, fhamefully ac-
tinglike one of the vain Fellows i All that
I ilmll fiy to fuch hy i. If this lamenting af-
ter a departing Ark, a departing GOD,
and a departing Glory, be to be' vile, I fhall
be yet more vik. 3m% It is not praife that I
am feeking from thee,' but to convince thee
of thy Folly ; th~t can be content with the
Mantle without the GOD of Elijah, toct
with the Name of a Chriitian without Chriil.
Sdly> Not many wile Men after the Fleih,
not many Mighty hath GOD chofen, but
he hath choflu the Poor, the, Bale, and the
Things that are defpiledJ #Mf, li thou be a
Reader that hatha psrfonal Pick at me be-
came thoutliinlr-e^ I imSat Mscajab and ne-
ver Prophelks good of thee, I fhall fay this
to thee In tkefirft Place, thou puts thy felf in
ihh^ Place and he was none of the belt of
Men. iMy% Lea' a thou thefe G-racelcfs Ways
df thine, and I give it here -under my Hand I
fiiall ever thenceforth fpeak good of thee
and ^dl% 'H inch an one as tho 11 ihoiild fpeak
■1 of me I would look upon it as my re-
proach.
Fourthly, If thou be a Reader that defpifes ~
( s )
up about CHRIST^ Glorious Reigning
as King in Scotland I have this to fay to you,
1 it is not Commendations from fuch as you that
we want. 'But2dly> We would conviSyon
that he will Reign in it whether ye will or
not. idly, That it will be fad for fuch as you
that he Reigns : The je mine Enemies that would
not that I jhould Reign over them, bring them
hither and Jit y them before me. And, 4fhly,
The very ihouts of thefc at CHRIST'S
■Coronation-Say on Earth, when his People
; fets the Crown on his Head, as thefe Hof annas
\ to the Son of "David gives a Knel to thy
\ Heart now-,fothe more the Hofannas are
i railed, & the oftner they are repeated thy agony
fliall increafe the more, Rev- 1 9. And a-
'; gain, they faid Hallelujah , and the Smoke of
her Torment afcended up for ever. $thly. I
Vbeg of thee, fubmitt to CHRIST as King
I and alone Head of his Church in Scotland ;
j and I give it under my Hand thou and I fliall
agree better than ever we did.
Fifthly, If thou be a Reader that defpifes this
Woik, becaufelputnomore in it than is in
the Bible ; I anfwer , I am none of thefe Young
Men that come to CHRIST, fo puft up, I
J have keeped all the Ten Commands from my
Youth : What lack I yet i Lord I want work
give me fomething elfe to do ? but I advife thee
if there be any Thing in thy Covenant that is
not in the Bible, fcrape it out in Time, for
fear of a word that is in the Bible. Rev:
f 6 )
1 8. If any Man add, God ihalladdto him all
the Plagues in this Book, and if any Mar*
take away ought; God fhallfcrape his Name
put of the Book of Life ; it is kittle Handing
before that cannon Mouth. 3. 1 will tell you
there is as much written in the Bible as will
hold your Hand in ufe all your Days, and
ye will never get it done without better help
than your felf. I advife you as a friend fpend
the Time, ye gooke away feeking more work
In feeking more Strength, and tell me at
the day of Judgement which way the time
was beft fpent. Sixthly, Art thou a Wordly
Perfon, that thinkeft all ill fpent that is Wired
this way, I am fure, If thou be fo Careful
as to ficker the World for thy Portion to thy
felf why art thou qffended that the People
of GOD ihould be at pains to fecure the
Lord to be their Portion.
Seventhly, art thou a Reader, that is a bro-
ken Hearted Perfon to fee Chriit, his Ark,
and the Glory departing, and would fain do
all you can to conftrain him to abide with us, I
do not look for fo many Ceni ures as Tears
from thee, but this 1 will fay I am a Man more
fenfible ofmy weaknefs and lnfuficiency. for
going about fuch a weighty Work than *
thou can be ; efpecially having fo little help
of Man, Encouragement, or convenience.
idly* That it is not fo much great parts and
gifts as Hcart-honcftie and fincerite kc.
What were the Gaufes that moved us to go
about
( 7 )
about this Work, I referr you to the caufes of
the Faft,the Fa.il Days work and other places ;
and 1 hope the poor mourners for the depart-^
ingof the Ark, will be glad of directions how^
tc bring it back, and the ienfibly loft Soul will
be glad to fee how to go, and feek the Lord
their God in whom alone, lyes their happines;
&the Soul that is afraid that it be notable to
fiand out, in Time of tiyal, to be admoniihed
w hat are the trying Times, whatfort of tryals
theymay meet with? what Difcoveries will then
te mace, 2nd to be direct how to Hand in the
Day of evil, cover my infirmity with the Man-
tle of Charity where thou fLndeft weaknefs,
and prsy for me, for ] have done nctfri g a-
miis wilfully and when thou findeft God's
mind, give GOD the gloiy who out of the
ncoi'th of labes c?r p erfite Fiaiie and retrain
ihe Wrath of the Enemy; our great Deiign
is to get Chriil to abide with us, and a People
engaged to him in an everlafting Covenant,
xiever to be forgotten, and that it may have
this effed on the heart of the Reader is the
Prayer of.
Yours in the Work of the Gofiel
y«hn Ada?nfon>
{ ' )
THE EPISTLE
DEDICATORY"
I Dedicate this Book to all thefe into
whofe Hands by Divine Providence it
fhall come, and that with great Grief
and Sorrow of Heart, and that bccaufc Je-
fus Chriit is rcjeded in his Kingly Office*
Our Covenant with him, which * was our
Oath ot Allegiance violated, Chrift Dethron-
ing Oaths taken in the Room thereof, the
poor People oppreffed and broken in
Judgement, becaufe they willingly walk
after the Commandment, one Part ( and that
the greater} part too ) of the Miniftcrs be-
a come
( )
come Bafe and Contemptible in the Eyes of
all that fear God, becaufe they have vio-
lated the Covenant of of Lrvr, and are
Partial in God's Law : The other Part,
which the feuer Part of the Miniftcrs,
who make it their Study to be Honelt in
3& ill Time, and to be Faithfull to God,
and the Souls of his People, crying aloud,
aadnot fparing, fhewing God's People their
Tranfgreiiions, thefe are made the Song
of the T»RU1SIKART> the butt of the
Malice of Tirnefervers, and to thefe wo-
full People j,hat are at eafe in lion, when
thefe with Tears andbroken Spirits are cry-
ing for God's fake, be not Stiff-necked like
your Fathers, who rebelled againft the Lord,
and therefore his Fierce Wrath came upon
them, butyeild your felves to the Lord, in
ffead of hearkning to them they laugh them
to fcorn. And alfo, becaufe fome of the
:e£ hearted Godly, are guilty of failings,
feeing Koneit hearted Minifters in ffraits,
:-. too homely with them andnotobferving
the Divine Authority wherewith they are
cloathed, and the Power given them to edify,
and for taking up Contra verfies, and carrying
on Reconciliation betwixt God and the Peo-
p'e, and betwixt the People among them-
felves, they will be offended, if we be not at
Variance with all thefe i with whom they
are at Variance, in ftead of feeking to be re-
cealed one with another, And above all,
oppreffed
*)pprefied with a Number of Pharafacal Per-
fons pretending to Reformation and itrict-
nefs oppohng Reformation j fo that as
Jannes and Jambres withhood Mofes, fo do
theie Men reiiit the Truth, fo that we that
are for compleat and uniform Religioi^may
fay with the Great Apoiile, Onr Eitjto. bath no
rejf, without from the Prophage arc Fight-
ings, and within from the Godly, the Unskil-
full newbeginers, the Daughters of Jerufakm.
are fears, left they provoke Chriit to depart,
and take away Faithfull Miniiters with
him, and what iliall we fay, who can num-
ber our Sins? and the Judgements lyiflg
on, becaufe of them GOD Pity and Pare on.
Therefore, I Dedicat this JBookFirh to
Scotland, England, and Ireland, that they
may have an account of our renewing our
Covenant with God, and that it is all their
Duties and Interefts, as well as ours, for
they all once entered into Covenant with
GOD, but now have perfideouily broken it,
that they may remember from whence they
arc fallen and repent, otherways if God be to
be believed, and his Word the very Truth,
there iliall either a Sword, or fome Plague
of GOD come upon thefe Lands, to avenge
the Quarrel of his Covenant: For GOD
hath fmotethat King that made this Cove-
nant with GOD, and brack it -, that he had-
no Heirs of his Body to fucceed him in the
Throne, as he did with Eli, i Sam. II. 30.
a 2 1
( )
J frid that tie Houfe of Eli Jhould walk he*
fore me for ever, but now be it far from me>
jor theft that Honour me I will Honour, and
they that defpife me, Jhall be tightly ejieemed.^
For beuold the Days come, that 1 will cut off
thine A. m, and toe siwi of thy Father's
Houfe : And if you hare feen God Smite the
King the Head, do you think he will ftand
in aw to fniite the People the Bodie, no, tho>
the Lord bear Long with thcfe llnfull Lands,
yet he Laugheth at them, becaufe he feeth
their Dayis coming, and thishedoeth untill
they fiil up the Meafure of their Fathers I-
niquity, and then will take them away as he
feeth meet : And alas! how fait is the Mea-
fure of their Iniquities filling i^p. ift As So-
dom, Pride and lulnefs of Bread, abundance
of Idlenefs, neither minding the Poor and
Needie Witneffes ofChrift, with abominable
Adulteries, Fornications unlawful Lulls in
fome Places, this fays a Shower of the
Fire of Indignation, is coming down on the
People of his Curie. 2<i/y, What Perjuries
and Breach cf, yea Abjuring of Covenant
with God, Swearing and Fore-Swearing,
like Perjured Zedikiah, Ezek. 1 7. Surely my
Oath which he hath broken, and my Covenant
which he hath defpifed, it will Irecompence on
his own Head, and J will f pre ad my Net over
him, and he Jhall be taken in my Snare, and
J will bring him down. 3. Malice at Godli-
pefs, and Faithful Miniitcrs, ancj Profeffors
as
(^ )
a* Ahab, againftthe Faithful Prophet Mica-
jab, faith he, 'tis true, wc may get God's Mind
from him, but it's all on 1 hate himbecaufe
• he never Propheileth good of me, he pre-
fers God before me, and that I dow not a-
bide; might not the Lown Prophefic good of
me, whether God bad him or not, the end of
all this is the malitious King fell at Ramoth
Gzkad, and like the malitious Jox. s, of whom
it's faiiTzlat knew that for, envy they had
delivered him, and what came of it, the
Romans came and took away both their Place
and Nation, the fooliili Polititians, and Time-
ferving Minifies, of this Time, thinks, if
they were quiet of Field Miniilers and Co-
f; • Venanters, it would be well with the Nati-
on, but are deceived, for if thefe were away
the Pillars would be removed, andtheKoufe
clap together about their Ears : Examples of
this Malice are to be feenin Terth Rntler-
glcn and Ghfgow, Imprifoning Minifters,
Banitfiing the Gofpel, Hoping defences of
Reformation, like Edom, wherein the Lord
threatneth, Obed. 10. for thy Violence a-
gainft thy Brother Jacob's Shame ihall co-
ver thee-, andthouflialtbe cut off. 4 Luke-
warmnefs and indifference in the Matters
of God for which the Lord threatneth. to
fpew a People out of his Mouth : O proud
Superftitious England, except thou repent
and reform, God will bring thee down O
Scotland, partakers with them in S'mi Ldw
canft
canft thou expe£l but thou ihalt be partakers
of their Plagues alfo, fliall Ireland efcape
no : We may before hand take up that La-
mentation, <Alas ! who can the when God doeth
tJxfe T^.'v/f. •
%dlyi To the Noble and Religious Lady,
JEAN Lady Rutbven oiFreelard : Madam,
1 would have you to know that I am con-
tending fore : the Glorious Work of Re-
formation, I the Mercy of God, and
long and fore con tendings, of the new Glo-
rified Saints, W€ ..raised to, in the Year
164,9, and adhered to by your felf, and that
Noble Family upon the account of which,
they fuffered much in the Late Perfecti-
on, and fheltered that worthie and able
Preacher of the everlafting Gofpel, Mr.
Robert binder/on during that Time, hoping
that your Ladyiliip will continue ftedfaii
in the Work of the Lord, in this ftiaking
Time, having more Understanding than fome
pretended teachers, becaufe you meditate u-
pon, and delight in God's Teftimonies;
Madam, My Prayer to God for you is,
1 that a full Reward be given to you from
that God, under whofe Wings you are come
for to Truft, for your Lady mips Favours
towards me ever fince I was a Preacher of the
everlafting Gofpel, efpecially for comforting
me when I was in Bonds for Chrift : I beg of
your Lady /hip, you may continue conftantly
yrreifling with God for a reviving to the
dead
(7 )
ckad Work of Chrift, and for me weeping
fore about the Grave of his Buried Intereit,
and doing all I can to roll away the Stone,
and few to help, I could not forget your
Ladyfhip, having the Honour and Happinefs
to be brought up in your Ladyihips Bounds,
and having the example of that Noble and
Religious Family, which exampels of God-
ly great Perfons have great Influence upon
Inferiours. The Merciful Lord give us ma-
ny fuch good examples, and exceedingly
Blefs thefe that are fuch, for now alas !
they are few, yea very few.
idly, To thefe that are bewitched befoted
Sleepers, and newtralifts in this fatal Day of
the removal of pure Ordinances, and over-
throw of the hail Work of God dancing to
the Pipe of thefe fwearing Apoilat guids,
who have a cuningArt of changing the Spring,
and fitting their Mnfick to the Faihons of the
Times, and fluggiiii, or merry Difpofitions of
of thePcopleJ would have yon to lay this one
Thing to Heart, that tho' you be takenina
dead Lethargy, and gratifying the Worldly
&£ Fleftily Appetit,yet all the People of Godin
the poor ruined Church of Sc are not
ileeping, little of that in force of their Minds :
God's poor Wariour TJrriah\axz laying, ihall
Ltake reft in my Houfe,andfindPkafurev^hi]e
jfrael, and the Ark oi God abideth in the
Camp, and are Tugging very hard to keep a
de-
departing Chrift, and his Ark, yea arc fweaf-"
ing poor Things ( Lord think on them and
all their Aiiliaions ) that they will not come
into their Houfe, nor reft in their Bed, un-
till they find a Place of Habitation, for the
Mighty God of Jacob, thefe will rather be-
llow part of their Rayment, and neceffary
Food, upon the maintaining a Faithfull
GofpelMiniftry, then want the Ordinances
of Life, when many Rich having their Eyes
Handing out with Fat, are debouihing a-
\y2Lj great Treafures upon unlawful Games,"
and Lufts, forgetting God, and poor La-
zarus I would have you refolve me in this,
do you indeed think that God will not ven-.
ture to take you through hand for thefe things?
becaufe you are great Men, and rich Men,
or will he not rather handle you to purpofe
for the abufe of your Riches, whither was
it to maintain Whores, and Game and De-
bauch, and abufe the Creature r* that GOD
gave you thefe Riches, or was icnot rather
for the Maintainance of the Purity of Gof-
pel Ordinances, and fay, Gentlemen what
will be your thoughts of this at 'Death t what way
will you then think your Riches, would have
been heft [pent ? I have yet a Word to fay to
you, and that is the Troubles you now fee
upon the People of GOD are a fad and fure
forer uner of great Calamity coming upon you,
for now the Time is come, that Judge rfient
muft begin at the Houfe of G 0 Z), and if i t
Firik
raj
Firft begin at us Lord, what mall the end
be of them that obey not the Gofpel ? yoti
now rejoice and are at eafe, when we weep
and are forrowfull, but thefe that are dnng
in the Afterouon will Weep as fore, as thofe
that arc dung in the , Forenoon I can allure
you. Alas! who can live when God doeth
thefe Things, for I think the Bulk of this
Generation lhall flip fecurely to Hell for
Company;
tfhtf) To the Presbytry iji'Perth, where I
began iirft, to Preach the everlafting Gof-
pel. O! that writting with Blood would
make you face about to the Work of Re-
formation, that you know as well as I do*
you have deferted, it ihould not ftick here.
I chalenge your Consciences, have you
done nothing againft God thefe Eight Years?
have you done nothing againft the Work
of Reformation t whither hath in tint or wiri
amongft your Hands r* whither was it for a
flep forward in Reformation ? or for a fieri
backward in Apoftafie s* that you took up
fuch an hatred at me, that I could not ftay a-
mongil you, whither have yon down right
or wrong in imbracing thefe Innovations ? of
Oaths and Prefentations, and keeping the
Watch Towers dumb in fuch a hubnb of
noife in this Kingdom ? neither telling th£
People the Hazard, Sin, Duty, or Danger of
this Day ; if yon have done nothing wrong
b iii
( )
in all this, then tell me I pray, have you
come to change your Thoughts, for you
was once in a day in another Mind, when
you faid, yea 1 heard one of you whom I.
can name declare in one of the Pulpits of
rPertb, that all thefe Things were Iniquity
eflabliihed by Law, if fo why do you de-
fend Iniquity ? and profefs Iniquity t odfort
of Work indeed for Gofpel Minilters! a-
gain, pray why do you not fliew the agree-
ment t and harmony of thefe Things
with the Word of God, Confeflion of Faith*
and Covenants ?. and why do ye return no
Anfwerto my Writtings publifliedi* prov-
ing thefe to be hainous Sins, yea Rebellion
agamic the Light ! Pray Anfvver all thefe
if you can with a clean Confcience ? and
if not, fliew us how it comes to pafs that ye
are Mailers in Ifiael, and knows not how ta
do thefe Things. 2clly, If thefe be Sins pray
why do you not Confefs and Forfake them £
orelfe fliew us that God hath changed the
Ordinances, and given you a new Bible, quite
contrary Jo the Bible that we have, that
will not Honour us that arc defcenters, to get
a light of ! telling you that he will Pard I
your Sins, tho? you neither confcfs nor for-
fake them. 'ptf7>\ If you fay they are but
final! fins, I Anfvver, then we have all we are
feeking; away with Sin as Sin, beitfmallor
great you are guilty. 2. I would have you
to inform me what are thefe little Sins fpofcen
of
in the Bible, that God will forgive with-
out Repentance t 1 want to fee the Book,
Chapter and Verfc, where there is fuch a
Promife t and if you hope without a Promife,
.believe me, there will be a downcome,ioryoii
.are building without a Foundation, and lay-
ing the weight of Salvation upon a nan a>$>
that hath no being, but in your deluded 1-
m agination. 3. Let you and me Keafon a
little together, about tbefe Sins which you
call fmall lins, the firft of which is the Oath
if ye call that a fmall Sin, then I Anfwer
that you are odd fori' of Mihiftefs, Phi-
lofophers and Reafoiiers ! And I fliali put
your Argument in Figure and Mood, and
it runs thus,
Thefe Sins which are againft our known
Principals, and involves us into Perjury,
and Breach of Covenant with G QB are
fmall Sins :
But the Oath of Abjuration is againft
our known Principals, and involves us
•in Perjury, and Breach of Covenant with
GOD:
Ergo, The Oath of Abjuration is a fmall
Sin:
Now that this mufl be the way ]of your
new found out Method of arguing is write
as clear as it were with a Sun .beam, and is
proven by your Subfcribing with your Hands
to the Union Parliament, that in cafe the
\>% Union
( )
Union were concluded, this Abjuration
Oath, current then in England, flio aid never
be impofed on the Subjecls of Scotland} it
being contrary, to your known Principals
and cJie Covenant, and the fame Subfcripti-
on by the Moderator is to be fcen lent up
to the Queen, before the Impoilng of the
Oath, Gentlemen if you be turned fo benum,
by Drinking down fo many of the Billions
of England sQa.ths Sauced with their Intoxi-
cacia* JSiae, that you misken yo r own
Hand writs, then both you are to to b p ied,
and the People that are led by fucn be-
numb, beibred Men! but if you have fo
much light either of Religion or Reafon, as
to read yo.ur own Hand write, Subscribing
the Oath to be Perjury, and then in a little
Swearing that Oath, then fay plainly, for
yon and all the World cannot deny it i that
ye are perjured over the Belly of Light, and
Pcrfons proven perjured I for the chief, if not
the only thing, that proves Perfons per-
jured, is their own Hand write, when they
Swear one Thing, and then their own Hand
write is preiently brought, to prove the con-
trary, this is plainly your cafe, God pity
you and the People deluded by you ! hold
iip your Face «ow, if you have the impudent
Fore-head of the Whore ! and either tell
us, you are not Perjured nor proven per-
jured ! or that perjury is a little -Sin, and
alas!
(J* )
alas ! our Anfwcr is too ready! you are
Lyars I andjuit now pi oven perjured Lyars I
and neither God, nor Man, believeth either
your word or Oath I
idly, Is that a httle Sin which overthrow*
eth tnat great and fundamental Article of
Faith that Jefns Chrift is the alone King,
Head and Lawgiver of his Church? and
takes in \vith him other Heads and Lawgivers,
fuch as Popes and Kings of the Earth \ If
yon deny that ye do fo we prove it, that neither
your Oaths nor your Patronages are from
Chrift and it runs thus.
Thefe Oaths and Prefentations are either
from Chrift the alone Head and Lawgiver
of his Church, and by accepting them we fob*
mitto Chrilts Laws as fuch, or elfe they arc
from fomc Earthly Power State or King,
and being fo we have rejected Chrift from
being the alone King and Lawgiver of his
Church, and fo loft one of the Fundamental
Articles of our Faith
But not from Chrift, therefore from feme
earthly Power and fo a chief Article of the
Faith is gone. .
And this we prove, thus if thefe Oaths
and Patronages be the Laws of Chrift, then
they are infert in the Bible -the Regifter of
his Law, which is fa id Tfal. 19. robe perfit
but I defy all the World to let me fee, ei-
ther of thefe among all God's Laws? from
the
( )
the beginning of Gcncfis to the end of the
Revelation:' where theie Laws are let
down word by word; or yec can be gather-,
ed by neceffary confeequence, then ye have
rejected Chriit,and loft an Article of the Faith:
But on the other Hand they are devifedand
impofed by Man, and are found written m
the Laws of the reahn, therefore you have
Jaken in others to be Kings and Companions
with Chrift, and have loft that Article of
the Faith, God pitie them that have to do
with the. like of you!
3. Is that a fmallSin? that Subjects you
to the Biihops oiEegl.ind, and that Cnyrar-
chy abjured in both National and Solem
•League, who are thefe that Domineers and
Commands you, to Swear fuch Oaths, and
accept of Patrons ? is it not the Biiliops of
England ? and that under the highen- Penal-
ties ! And who is it that fubjecls and obeys,
is it not you for fecuring of the Engiijh
Abjured Chirarchy f and to fecure Stcepends
to your felves ! I ask then whether are
you extirpating Prelats, according to your
Oaths t or are you governed by them i Do
not think that all that behold you are depriv-
ed, both of the ufe of Religion and Reafon,.
and knows not your Knavery, or are you
like the Fooli/h Filli hiding only its Head
in the Mudd, thinking no Body fees it ! no
you may hide your own H:ads in the* Mudd
of
ft:'*)
of filthy Lucer? and among fcnfeleis, and
Suffiilical Reafonings ! but both God and
his People fees your abominable Wicked-
nefs, and that you fliall find to your coaft
on Day.
Thirdly, If you fay, if ye had not yield-
ed, the Church of God had been ruined 5
I Anfwer, this may make Children and I-
diots Laugh at you! but neither God nor
in believeth you ! for ift by yielding, ye
did effei r mine the Church, it is juft as
Etc fliould have faid, the Serpent would
have ruined me if I had not yielded ! and
broken God's Commands •, and as if ye fliould
fay, the Fifli fhould have been killed ifilie
I hidden out of the Net, for I told fome
of you, that now if you were taken, ye
would be more Foolifh, if ye fliould ftep'
into thefe Impofitions then the Beafts, for in
vain is the Snare fpread in the fight of any
Bird. 2. By yielding, you declared ye be-
lieved no! a "Word that God hath " faid?
promifing that if the Righteous Man hold on
his Way, and keep clean Hands, he fliall
wax ftronger and ilronger. 3"; Horid un-
belief that God was not able to defend
his Church, when Man was again!! it, 4,
That God had need of your Sin to help him,
O horid blaiphemy ! Can any Man be 10
I as to think, a good end juitifies ad
evil Aalon ! or to do evil that good may come
Oi it.
Fourthly,
E ]
Fourthly, If you fay, that you will flop
in Sin and not go the hail length ; I An-
fwer, J ft, it is as if a mad Man mould leap
from the top of the Steeple, and fay he was
not fuch a Fool as to brain himfelf ! he would
make a flop ere he came to the bottom, its
thought now, you will be at the very bottom
before you flop, and that there will be no
ho, nor hold again in this fide of the white
Surplice, for it is true that ye have Sworn to
it freely heartily, willingly, and that the ift
time they think fit to give you the offer of
it, you will imbrace it, as heartily, freely,
willingly, as ever you fware to it. 2d, You
fay. contrary to the word of God 1 who
faith of fuch as you, Evil Men and Seduc*
ers wax worfe and worfe, deceiving and be^
fag deceived, we believe God better than
you.
Fifthly, If you obje£r, you will fuffer be^
fore you proceed any further, we Anfwer,
by what you have fuffered, we guefs at what
you will fuffer! what! you Sufferers you
look ltcker backfliding Perfecuters, if
you have run with the Foot-men, and
they have wearied you, what will you do in
the fwelings of Jordan f Others are fufiering
in part already, but all] ill is good in firft
with you : I mall leave room for Soveraign
Grace, but if any of you flop in Sin or ful>
fer for Ciirifl either, ye will meet with Sid$
Mercy
07. )
Mercy when periling from God, and over-
throwing his Work.
It was needful forme thus to deal free-
ly, and faithfully with you, feeing your
own Souls, and the work of God is lying
at the Stake, and feeing you have been a-
mong the firft in putting away King Jefus,
fo be not the laft in bringing him back,
and tho' ye love Darknefs rather than Light
becaufe your Deeds are Evil ! however ac «
cept of this Glimphs of Light I fend you,
as a futable Prefent, and friendly Comple-
ment, that you may fee how near the brink
of the Pit you are, and turn in Time, be-
fore you fall into it, fo? out of it there is no
Redemption : But there are three Things
to put away before ye get good of this
Warning, and that is Pride? Covetoufriefs,
and Hatred at me for difcovering you*,
otherways ye will get no more good of it,
then "Judas did of Chrift Preaching, having
all the Three Reigning in his Heart, it is
not for naught that this hath come to
your Hands, and that you will know when
you are ftanding before Chrift's great white
Throne giving an account of your Stew-
ardfhip, for believe it there are other fort of
Matters before your Hands, then always to fit
in your warm Neils and take the other
fteps of Apoftafie to preferve a fat bene-
fice!
§j To you that are the jurants, whtf
c firft
( )
firft made the breach in the Church: I de-
lire you to lay to Heart, that you are the
more guiltie, for when you liHTthe Affembly
divided, the one halt for it, and the other a-
gainlt it, and that the Non-Jurants could
not take it, without manifeft Violation of
their Consciences, to refufe it, and fo the
Church of God had been keeped whole and
your Brethren not offended, but i had forgot
you had one weightier Reafon that down
weighted both thefe, and that was your
Steepends would have been Violated, and
this ileaibn was ay the flronger, the greater
that t)*e Steep-ends were, and the more of
tb-]: fear of Mai-, and the lefsoithe fear of
GOD, and ox the care of his Church, of
the Souls of his People, and of the coming
Generation that was in your Hearts! now
all thefe Confiderations joined together,
clown weights the Ballance, andfo you laid
hold on the Church of God and Rent it to
pieces: Good were it for you that that there
were not a Judgment to come. 2, I would
have you lay your Oaths, and prefent Prac-
tices to the Word of GOD, and the Con-
feiiion of Faith Covenants, National and
Solemn, and the Practices of the then La-
borious Reformers : And then if ye be not
as Blind as Moles ye will fee that there is
.as great a difference betwixt thefe as betwixt
Light and Darknefs, and if thefe Righteous
Reformers
(O )
Reformers were fcarcely Saved, where fhall
fuch unrighteous Appoftats as you appear t
and yet you will make fuch a noife againil
Perfons for Renting of a Church, h you
fpeak of profane Perfons, and un(ound Ke-
riticks, they may anfwei you, what can this
mean that Satan is now Repioving Sin:
but if you fpeak this of the Goaly, who
are the true Church, that they are Renters
of the Church then we have our Anfwer
readie, you are like the rude Souldiers ; allur-
ing at the Murder of the Son of GO D,
when thy faw Chriit's Garment had no learn,
every one thinking if it were rent they
would get little good of a Part of it-, it
they got it not altogether, each an out of
Covetoufnefs cried, let us not rent it, each
one hoping to get it all to themfeives : your
ftriefis not for fear of the lofs of Reforma-
tion, but for fear you get not fpoil enough
at the overthrows thereof, this was not the
way ufed by the Reformers : but to every
thing there is a Time and a Seafon, then
was the Time to build the Houfe of
GOD, this is the Time to throw it down,
and you wofull Jurants are the Men-, that
iirft put to your Hands, and plucked out the
Foundation Stones of God's Building, and
fetFire under it -, to blow it up, Wo to you
for offences are come by you, good had it
been for -you that ye had never been Born ;
, c % will
( )
will your Thirty Pieces, your Steepends do
you any good in the other World? but I
tell you whether Steepends do you good in
another World or nor, you will not be
long in this, and if ye hold on I fear there
will be fomething a-miffing then, that will
fit nearer you then lofs of Steepends, when
all your Plagues come in one Day.
1 would alfo know, why fome of you
delayed longer in taking it, than others?
and took it at lad, *was it you were in a ftrait,
being brought to this that you mult either
lofs your Steepends or the Favour of the
People, and as long as you could you keep-
ed both, but when you law, one of the two
you moft lofe, then you choofed to lofe the
the Favour of the People. Or, 2. Wz$ it
only Conference and Lull by the Ears toge-
ther ? and like Tilat you refitted ay till
your intereft and Loyalty were in hazard,
and then yeildedthe Caufe? Or, 3. Was it
that the laft Oath was fome bonier than the
firft : lAnfwer it is fiillthe old Whore perceiv-
ing herfelf negleacd of her Lovers, becaufe
of the Rags and ugly Wrinkels in her Face,
hath now painted her felf, an I got on a new
Suit, for what difference is there betwixt the
Dignity of the King of England in the firft
Oath which takes in his being Plead both of
Church and State, and the Govcrment of che
King 'atErghtid in the fecond Qath which
take- in the very lame thing, and what differ-
ence
f* )
cnce is betwixt the Bifhops of England
now r* from what they were then, are they
now Presbyterians ?. who were then Pre-
lates.
6. To yon that are the Non-Jurants I
am afraid of yon, that yon are the great
lnftrumentsin Satans hand, to beguile and de-
ceive, as appears from your lefraining from
the Oath a while, many of yon, and not
Preaching againft the Jurants, but fubtilly
Preaching People into thejri^ and then when
yon had gained your end, took it your felves,
for were not you it was not Poffible for
the Jurants they being a loathing to- the
Kingdom, to have done the half of the
Miichief that you have done, the Jurants
were the lyers in wait to Kill, yon the coy
Dukes to flatter People in to be killed, they
the Thieves you the Rcfetters, they the
Adulterers, you the Cheaters of Perfons
to be defiled: If the Oath was a Duty
why did you not take it ? If it was a Sin
why did you join with the Wicked in Sin?
and deceive the People of God to do fo :
the Anfwer is eafie, you being evil Men,
turned Seducers and fnch as you wax worfe
and worfe, deceiving, and then God leaves
you to be deceived your felves, 'i "thn.^.i^.
It is no new thing for the Bulk of Minifters,
to turn their Backs on Chrift.at the firft fire
as* witnefsthefe Six Hundred,- that turned all
at
jat once to " Epiicopacie, in the laft Or
verthrow of the Church ; when others itood
out, but you the Non-Ju rants bring up the
Rear ^6f Apoftacy : you fay this is leit you
fliould Rent the Church, I Anfwer, true
it is left you Rent the Apoltat Jurant;
Church j and it is as true you do it ; that
you may Rent the Covenanted Church and
if you would know who hath lyen hid in
Ambufli, and fet upon, broken and rent the
Reforming Church, in the Day of her Con-
flicts!* you Non-Juiants are the Men, this
breach be upon you.
7. To ycu that are Fooliih Contenders,
about the Peible in Head of the Jewel the
hingsofwhofe Controverfies is, who is, and
and who is not King of 2?ri tufa t when it
fliould be who is not, and who is King of
Zion t For when you are to receive a Per-
fon into your Communion, it avail eth you
nothing to tell you, that they hold fait by
the hale Word of G O D, Confeffion of
Faith, Covenants and the 49 Years Re-
formation : Nay fay ye but ye muft come up
to our Te Simony, to deny the prefent Ma*
jeftrates, you mould call it a coming down .
to your Defection, and quite the Second
Table of the Law, come ye up to our Tes-
timony, which is to take both the Tabels of
Lav/ along with you, the want of doing fo,
i)oth rc ills you oft from the People of God,
|$d rents you among your felves, and if it
be
be asked who are the Perfons bemifted a-
bout the way of Reformation t% then you
Fooliih contenders are the Men.
- 8. To you the off-cafts of the gf^at Ju-
gler, ay aping the People of God with a deiign
to hinder the Work of God, profefTing to
be Reformers, and yet the moil Malitious E-
nemies, to it in the Nation, y ou are like Jj,n~
ties and Jambres withstanding Mofes, fo do
you refill the Truth -, for you are Black-
Banders, you force Men to take on Tyes
upon them, tying them up both from hearing
the Word of Life, and entering in Covenant
with God, oC as Janttes and Jamb es oppofed
iVJ<2/h,andhindredthe deliverance of the Peo-
ple of God, not by Force but by Witchry,
and Jugling as if they had wrought thefc
Very Miracles which Mofes did, yet there
was fomething done by Mofes, which they
could not do, which made them confefs this
is the Finger of God, fo the Godly can do
fomething that you cannnot do, they can mew
both their Moral honeftie and Sincere dellre •,
that the Gofpel may have a free Courfe;
and be glorified, without Black Bonds,
Tefts, orEflgagements, andif it be asked who
are the greateft quenchers of the fmoaking
Flax? the Anfwer is, you Jugling Black-
Banders are the Men,
9- To Mr. John Gczi\ a 'Thihkel Ju-
raiit, and Pro veil QuftHi, Proved Rolertfon
and
. ( )
and Captain Wilpn, who by lyes Malice and t
Unjuiiice confpired together and caft mc in
Pnionto Hop the Work of God that you
may fee you have loft your labour, for God
hath honoured me to be an Inftrument to
bind a People to God in a perpetual Co-
venant, that ye may never again fet your
felves againft God and his Work, for you
fee wherein you have dealt proudly he hath
been above you and ever more will
be.
10. To John C£J 'air Brother to that Emi-
nent Man of God, Mr. George "Blair, late
Minifter in 'Perth, that you may Remember the
dear Love and intimat Familiarity that was
betwixt him and me, in this Lifetime, who
•upon the account of his Tender Gofpel Con-
vention, and Heart-melting Power, that
went along with his Do&rine, looked liker
an Converfant with the General Affembly of
the firft Born, and Jefus the Mediator of the
New Covenant, then a Man in the Body :
I never either converted with him or fat un-
der his Serious and Heavenly Sermons; but
my Spirit was ravi£ked with Joy and Delight,
he alio ftill defended my Do&rine, contend-
ing for Reformation, againfi the Invafions1
coming in, againft Tirne-ferving Oppof-
ers.
And when in that Fattal Year, 171 2, he
was appointed' to Preach a Direction Ser-
to the Presbytric of Perth, at their fending
their
Iheir Commiflioners to the General Afenir>'
|y, to refolve about the Oath of Abjuratioiij
he fcnt forme the evening belo^e, Aiid defies
ed me to Preach that Sermon to the Corns
miiTioners : 1 anfwercd that 1 had not 1 nrie,
and it was too heavie a Work for me, there-
fore I refufei he faid no Brother 1 will
accept of no rcfufalfor (faid he) you know
that you have a Facultie of Plainnefs, and
Freedom /happen out for fuch a Work, at
fuch a Time, and it will be a Sin in ybii
to refufe, I anfwered; Sir, it may be be-
fore I have done, that you your felf wilt
fay, I have ufed too much freedom ; he an*
fwered, nay, that I will not, go and the
Mailer's Prefence go with you, and of all
that God fliall give you keep nothing back*
for this Wofull Oath that many will joiri
with, will prove a fad Lambes Flood, ancl
then claping his Hands together faid, Ala's t
*Billie all is wrong, all is wrongi therefore
let you and me prepare for the Mountains td*
getber for all is gone in Uje K.irk, all is wrong
Tiillfei all is wrongs we are not what Men
take us to he± and then I confentcd and Preach-
ed in the Great Kirk on that Text, Ifa. 49*
25. 1 will contend with them that contend
with thee, and lwtll five thy Children ? wher£
1 fpoke to thefe Things, r ft, That It ever
wa*s. and Hill will be the Lot of the Church
while here in a militant State^ tti be wreitt*
f )
ing and contending. 2. 1 mewed who were
engaged, on either fide, Chrht, good AngtJs,
Mininers, Saints and good Kings, and on
tne other lide Satan, evil AngeJs, evil Mini-
iters, unholy Peribns and ill Kings, Rev.
19. 19. Ifawthc 'Beaji and the Khgs of t,e
Earthy and their udrai.s gathered together to
make War, againfi him that fat on the Horfe,
wd againft his j^rmie. 3. What was the
Quarrel and Grounds of the War ? 4. How
the War was carried on,on both Sides. ,5. The
difference betwixt this and all other War, in
Three Things, ijt, In this war there is no
Ceffation of Arms on either Side. 2d>
It is never Lawfullnor fafe for God's Peo-
ple to yield and turn their Back, for there
is no Armour for the Back. 3d, Each Par-
tie may certainly know the upfhot of this
War before they flrickaitroak in the Battle,
Rev. 17. 14. thefe Jhall make War izith the.
JLa?r<b, .and the Lamb Jhall overcome themy
Therefore I exhorted them to ftand, and
earnedly oppofe this Invafion upon the King-
dom of Chriir, for it was good Fighting
when the Victory was fure j and if they
yeilded they ihould be counted among Chritt's
Enemies, and the Lamb ihould certainly o-
vercome them. 6. I mewed them certain
Signs ; whereby Chrifl's Army might be
known from Satan's. 7. What was t the Ban-
ners. 2. What the Motos* 3. What was
the
c 27 3
the Word of both Armies. 8. That during
tne whole Conflict, Chrift's Souldiers aie
gaining. Rev. Hi. 5. Tuythat are oitrcom*
Wgt lor fo it is in tne Gieek, yea when for-
eit at under Kev. Xli. ir. ci,.ey p^eroam
byt„e Blood of tu La/nh, avdiscejiitrgjoabe
clejiimony to h.t 'Death. 9. I hat the" War
was Shoddies the War of the uror.g G G D,
and to take the Word of a God, that
he would contend for them, and Save both
them and their Children, the coming Ge-
neration, from the Ruine that was intended*
by the prefent vifable affault \ to Invad the
Church and Kingdom of Chriit, and told
them, I thought none but down right A-
thieits, conlidermg all this, would quite
Chriit's Cauie ; Having ipoke largely to
thefe and many other Things; for along
Space, as I came down from the Pulpet the
Eminent Servant of Chriit your .brother
met me, and took me in his Arms before the
People Smiling with the Tear in his Lye,
Bleffed the Lord and faid, God hath been
isctth you to T)ay, his BleJJing he upon youy
for this bath been a Word in Seifon 1ous-. Many
others in the Presby try took rre alio in their
Arms ifiewing, as appeared their great Satis-
faction withtnat Doctrine, who within Ten
Days were my great Enemies for that very
Doctrine, and none of them more then that
Gorawvobis, and great nothing Mr. 't^omoA
d 2 1Siack9
f )
blacky then Colique to this Servant of Chrift,
and iipvv Curat J unapt in the fame City,
and the Reafon was they had millrulted
G U D, yielded His Caufe, and looked u-
pon me with a mixtor of Shame and
iinvy.
jnow John when ye Read this remember
its now a tar changed World, labour to
follow your Brother's Steps, and Pity me by
jSoveraign Pleafure deprived of fuch a Fa-
ther at fuch a Time ; when the People of
God are handled like Qrphants arid Father^
lefs Children in the World, and I have a large
Score of fuch Comp]aments from fuch as
are ateafe : JBut above all, the Lofsofthat
Eminent Servant of Jefus Chrift will make
nie to go Mourning to the Grave.
1 1 . To Mr. John Shethmm whom I look
upon to be an Eminent Servant of Chrift,
Jionettand Ingenious Sir, I know you arc a
Man weighted. in Spirit, about the welfare
of the Church, and the Salvation of Souls,
and for ought 1 know, yet Miniftercf the
Gofpel at Gladfttoor, and not altogether gi-
ven over Contending for Chrift's Intereft, Sir^
It is the Delire of my Soul that you may
do it a littfe more Publickly, and when all
in your Presbytry have taken an Oath againft
the Caufe of Chrift, take ye Elijah's Oath,
that as the Lord liveth ye will mew your
felf for the Caufc of Chrift, and let all the
World
Worldfee ChriftisnoraMafterto be aftamec}
of, appear as Valiantly for him, as othei&clo
againit him : Let not your Candle low oe
under a Jbnfhel, but upon the Table, left the
Lord's Hand be heavie both on Body ana Spi-
rit : Dear Sir, go not off the the Stage with-
out leaving a Tettimony behind you, for you
know the TruthSir, 1 both long and deiign to
fee you, asfoonas Poilible toipeak oithefe
Things I ihall not write: Sir, its not Words,
not Politicks, not Pen and Ink but Chrift,
Reformation, the Salvation of Souls, the
Anfwer ot a good Confcience, and handing
down the Gofpel uncorrupt to Polterity,
and Preparation for Death, for we will be
before the Bar of God, and in the Grave
in a very ihort Time, where there is no ir end-
ing of what is wrong, behold now is the ac-
cepted Time.
12. To the Magiflratsof Glajgow and Ru»
therglen who labour to ftopme in Preaching,
and Published Prints in Defence of Refor-
mation, pray Gentlemen is this warranded
fpm Authority or not ; although it were war-
ranted by Authority I ihould think it ttrange
how it can find a warrand in your Con-
fcienccs butfincc we know it is dif charged,
under Penalty by Authority, what do you
mean ? have you fo foon forgot what thanks
you got for raifing Men in Defence of the
King without his allowance, that it was
taken
( )
taken as Rebellion, alid yon got a Remit,
what [hen will you venture a little more,
to try his Clemency, to oppole Reformati-
on, by fetting on Foot Perfection, of his
Subjeds, by a Law of your own, in diredt
Opposition to his Majelties Law, do you not
know that the Protection is taken from your
Cnurch-Men t tho' they took the Oath, and
that we have a Share of it, tho' we took it
not, is the name of Perfection, fo honourable
that you cover it i Gentlemen what was in
my Papers againft the Government f
that you ltop them, was there any thing but
my a&ing as a free Scots Man and Church
Member, againft the Innovation on Chriit's
Kingdom, and Juglings ol felriih Men, cun-
ning to deceive f Or did you think Mr. ^4n~
derfonnot able to Anfwer that you conceal-
ed my Writtings, hath he not near a Thou-
fand Defenders of his Thefes, to join for
his Help, and do you not fay, I have no great
brain for fuch things t Surely then his Brain
and theirs muft be weaker, that can find no
way to anfwer my Writings, but by Robing
me of them, and hiding them, an eafie way
indeed to anfwer. There's not a PapiSt at
Rome, but can Anfwer the Sharper! Defences
I can Write that fame way ; Did you indeed
think I was too Strong for a Thoufand of
them l then they are too weak for the Bur-
then, of all the Souls. in Scotland ! 1 cana-
fure
{91 J
fur you, you confefs that the Work of Re-
formation was God's* Work, in the Year
1649. Fray then what hath made it not
God's Work now, that you oppofeit, Gama-
liels Counfcl would do well now tho' none of
the bell Refrain from thefe Men and let
them alone, for if this Work be of the Lord,
we will be found Fighting even againft
God, he fhould have faid let us help them;
left we fall under the Curfe of Godfor net
helping the Lord againft the Mighty : But
if you be amind to go on in Oppofitionwe
are as fon'd of the name of perfecuted as you
are, of the name of Perfecuters
13. To the Great Profcfibrsin the Shire
of Perth and F//V, who once owned Pres-
by try and Reformation, and feemed for to
outrftip us, fome of you coming to me on a
Morning srd vptraiding me at the Time
of the breaking in of this FLOOD
of OATHS and Abominations, and
faid to me, what are you lying in Bed yet, and
the Church of God going to ruine? Then I
had great Hope of you, more than of my
felf that you would not' go to ruine with
the Multitude for Cornpaiiy, and that I
would have excellent Companions of you
in Times ofTryal: But- whenever you few
that the Overthrow was Effectually given to
the Work of God, and either "you muft
<)uiie Chtift's Intereft, or elfe according to
fc-word thatdropt from one of your Mouths,
not
( J
i\ot keep in with the Laird and the Mini-
fier, then you joined in, and helped to over-
throw Religion, and prefently discountenanc-
ed thefe that itood on Chrift's fide, in Defence
of Reformation, 1 may fay this of fuch, they
are like a Servant following two Mailers, he
holds in with both, and walks along with
them, ay till either they difcord or finder
and then will help their own Matter, tho' he
be a Rober againft an hone ft Man, or leave
him that is not their Matter when their ways
part.
I know you are praying Perfons this is
good in its Place but mind thefe Things
firft Prayers, are Prayers, not Chrift, and
will God hear the Prayers of thefe that
join with his Enemies againft his People. 2.
God accepts firft of the Perfon before he ac-
cepts of the Prayers, and can you expect that
God will accept of the Perfons of thefe that
joineth with the Overthrowers of Religion,
againft the Contenders for it. 3. Know you
not that God loaths the Prayers of fuch as
leave his Ways, as much as the grofeft of
Sins, Ifa. LXVI. 3, 4. He that kiletb an Ox
is as if he flew a Man, He that Sacrifice!!) a
'Lamb as if he cut off a T>^gs Neck, He that
cjfereth an Oblation as if he offered Sivives
"Blood, He that burnetii Incenfe as if he bleffed
me Idol. What is the Reafon that thefe Ads
of WorJhip-, are as great Sins, and as loath-
fome
iw )
fdme to God; asMockry, Filthinefs, Mur-
der, and Idolatry, here it is they have chofen
their own Ways : Say now you turn backs^
are thefe Oaths and Patronages God's Ways?
or your Ways, if they be God's Ways let
us fee them in his Bible, and if you cannot,
which I defy you to do, then they are your
Ways, and if your Ways, the Spirit of .God
fays, they are as loathforne to him as Mur-
der and Idolatry. 2dly, That he will
choice your DelufionS; becaufe ye choice
thefe Ways, and give you up in Jufticeto
be perfwaded that you are right, and you
fhall never be undeceived untill you be in
an Eternal State of Difpair, no helping of
your Condition. .
You will fay if there be any Sin in this^
it is the Minifters Sin, not ours.
, An. There is in it Sin indeed, ift9 direcl:
Perjury and breach of Covenant in thefe
Oaths : And 2dly, As for their entrance to
the Miniftry by Prefentation, that is f uch a
Sin, i/?, As with it no Presbytry, and with-
out it no Poprie nor Epifcopacie. , %d, It is
that Sin fpoken of Kev. XV. 5. That when
it takes not Thee the Temple of the Taber-
nacle of the Tefiimony of God is opened in
Heaven, that is thrifts Door is opened, and
Minifters enter .according to the Word, ■_ and
Teftimbriy of God, but when it fakes Place
the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Tef-
e timony
timony is flint, and the Antichriftian Window
fetopen, that none of Chriit*s Ambaffadors
can enter in at the Door of the call of the
People,. bat at the Antichrittian Window
of the Patronages, for the Patron flints in the
Popes Uflier at the Window, and then all
the Kabbie, and Croud of Time-ierving
People, follow and make Havock of the
Church of God, thus we have prov'd it is
Sin*
Secondly, We fliall prove that to join with
fuchis your Sin, ana itappeareth thus.
If to Jultifie the Wicked, and condemn
the RighteoiiS be Sih, then it is Sin for you
to join with them, for in this you feparate
from Faith full Minifiers, and pure Iniiitutions
and thereby condemn them as Sinners, and
imworthie to be countenanced, and alio
you join with unfaithfull Miniiiers, and im-
pure liittitutions, which is a justifying of them
in all that they have done : And Solomon
tells us, He that juftifieth the Wicked, and con-
demned the Righteous, are both alike abomi-
nable to the Lord.
2. If Children are to be Puniflied follow-
ing theFootfteps of their Snfull Parents, be-
caufe fo to do is Sin, then this joining with
them is Sin : But this is clear from the Second
Commandment, He .-vifiteth the lniquitit s of the
Fathers upon the Children of them, that hate him,
for breaking of the Commandment is a hating
of
( w )
of God, and where che Children hate GOD,
as did their Parents, they are Pimiilied Loth
lor their own and then iaren.s Si,.z.
3. If GoL) Punnn a People for* joining
witiuiie Jtving 111 bin, is it not. a Sin and ae-
iervetii Puniihment alio to jom with the
Minuter in Sin, and this you may lee, 2 Chid.
XXXll. 24,25. Hezekiah rendered not ac-
cording to t,.e benefit done to bim wherefore
Wrath waSup^nhim, and upon ail Ju'daha#<2
Jcrufalem : his Sin was Pride 01 Heart in
dewing the Ambaifador of the king of 'Ba-
bylon all his JTreaiuries, and this brought
Wrath and Captivity on the heal Land
becaufe they conived at, and joined with
him in Sin, and now fpeak out ye joiners
with corupt Miniicers in Sin, whether will
all their Oaths and back-iteps, and diffemb-
lmg to hide tnem ? amount to as great a Sin,
as to fhew a Man of another JNation our
Treafurc.
4. If God be to be believed, then thefe
that join with corrupt Miniiters in Sin, are
guiltie of 1 the Minilter's Sin, and Hull
fiiare with him in Punishment,
But God is to be believed.
ERGO.
We prove it from Scripture, Ifa. IX. 6.
For the Leaders of this 1*eo pie caufes them to
Err, and they tint are Led of them are defiroyed,
and if you believe God, this is good plain&ro/x,
e 2 and
( )
and Lam. II. 14. ThyTrophets have not difi
foverea tejnf Iniquity to turn away thy Captivi-
ty, but hanefeen for the Caufes of hanijhment^
Mac. XV. \^ If the Blind lead the "Blind both
fall into the ''Ditch: God fays all that, and
if you think he fays not true, then yo muft try
an experiment.
Objeft. i. But the\e are hut little Sins.
yii'jw. Is there any little God? oris there
any little Hell ? or is there any of your Souls
and Bodies of little Worth f or is there any
little ftiort Eternity?
Obje£t. 2. Tt.ey are hut guilty of that one
fPaulf.
^Afifw. Will not one Rapper thmft through
the Heart kill ? as well as twenty, will not,
one lake in the Ship link it^ as well as a
Thqufand ? will not one Draught of Poy-
fon kill as well as Twentie ? doth not
pn dead Fly fpoil the whole Box of Oint-
ment?
* Object. 3. But v:e groan under tlefe Oaths
a nd Imp ifitio ris as an I ferny burden .
ylnfw So does the weak Thief under the
heavie Sheep,yethe willnotktit go: left he
loie a fat Supper: We are wearied with
your groaning, iliake off thy Thief's burden,
and let us have left groining, and more honef-
ty • if thpufpeakof groaning under fuller-
ing, you would fpeakSenfe: But make
Senfeofthat to groan under Sin, and yet re*
fufe
1*7')
Me to let it go, the beft Senfe that I car*
make of it is, thou art like that young Mai)
that lov'd the World better than Chrift/ and
when he faw he could not keep Chrift and the
World both, he did with the World as thou
doeft with Sin, held it faft left Chrift, and
went away forrowf nil, and groaning under
k. Thus I have chafed you from one Thiefs
Hole to another, and ftill ranged you out of
the other alfo, and are you not bonny Com-
panions now, where will you fly to. next,
fly to Chrift, a refuge from the Wrath of
GOD, for ail your Refuges of Lies avail-
eth you nothing before the Bar of Man,
what then will become of you before the
Bar of God?
14. To you who are God's People, join*,
ing and aflifting to fet the Crown upon his
Head, in the Day of his Efpoufals, and the
Day of the Gladnefs of his Heart, when few
did it : I have this to fay to you if you pay
your Vows to your God, you fliall be a-
mongft the feweft Part, when all that ever
took Breath in Adam, fliall ftand in Two
Ranks before his great White Throne, but if
any Man or Woman draw back, the Lord's
Soul ihall abhore you : Mind ay that.
15. To you that fay you had an Heart to
the Work, but at that Time you was under
a Temptation, and would not lift up your
Hand to God, when God gave fuch a fair
ppportu-
Opportunity, and a publick Testimony 'was
eipecially called for, ift> The lofs of this
Opportunity may make you go Mourning to
the Grave. 2d, You may be never fee the
like with your Eyes. 3d, God may in Jus-
tice disappear when you have greateit need.
4?/j, Submit to Cnritt as Kang, tho' you re-
fufed to fet the Crown on his Head, and be
faithfull to his Intereft to the Death, and
you fliall yet get the Crown of Life.
15. To you that fled away that Day and
declared you would not have Chriit to be
King over you, Repent and Weep bitterly
for it, or elfe I affure you it will come to that
with you in your ftrait, now am 1 in great
diftrefs, for God is departed from me, and an-
fwereth me no more, as 1 have done to him,
fo hath God done to me, Alas ! that ever I
was Born.
1 5. To all that were Friends to me when
I was in Bonds for the hope of Iji'ael, God
grant they may find Mercy in that Day:
As forthefe that long pretended Kindnefs to
me for the Gofpels fake, and forfake me in
my hardeft contending for the Truth, 1 pray
God it may not be laid to their Charge.
Read over this Book, laying aiide Preju-
dice and Worldly intereft, and you will
find the Nature of National Covenanting with
God, purged from thefe falfe Notions that
are attributed to it, which on the one Hand
^offends
offends the Magiftrate, and on the other, mif-
informeth the People, and that it binds to
the Bible and nothing but the Bible, and
that Religion . is not Rebelion, neither for
Having of the People, for Chrift's Kingdom is
not of this World: and the Lord give yon
Understanding in it, and his Bleffing with it>
is the Prayer of,
Tours in the Work of
the Gofpel,
John AdamfonJ
( 9 )
CAUSES
Of a DAY of
HUMILIATION
In order to our Renewing our
COVE WANT
with GOD.
WIT
E d poor Remnant of the Church
of C H R I S T in Scotland, ad-
y y hcringto Heraslhe was reformed
in the Year 1649, in defence of
Which Glorious Reformation; many Faithful
Minifters and Godly ProfeiTors, now in Glo-
ry, have laid down their Lives; and we
now a poor Remnant ( becaufe of our Sins )
living both in a Poor Betrayed and Sold
Nation, and a Betrayed and Sold Church i
B which
( to >
Which may be com pired to Tan?* Ship falling
into a Place where Two Seas met, I mean
the Union betwixt the Two Nations where
the one Part Hicks faft in the Englifl* Prela-
tick Sands, and the other. Part dallied all in
pieces by the violent Waves of Tolerations*
Patronages, and reiteraced Reformation, and
Covenant abjuring Oaths, which are very in-
couragingtothe Perfidious and difcouraging
to the Faithful, having taken to our Conilder-
ation, that the Lord doth not A rrlici willing-
ly nor grieve the Children of Men : But that
there is a Cauie, and that the Controverfie be-
gins ay on our fide, we Rebel and Vex
his Holy Spirit, and then he turns to be our
Enemy, and lights againft us, /hewing himfelf
to be the Great and Terrible GOD, that
keepeth Cove nanr and Mercy , Terrible to
Covenant-breakers, Merciful to Covenant-
keepers, and turning Penitents : And that
we nave broken all our Solemn Engagements
to GOD, therefore all this evil is come u-
pon us; and feeing we have both GOD's
Call in his Word, and the example of our Fa-
thers in fuch fad Conditions, to return and
make afure Covenant with GOD never to
be forgotten, and of GOD's Mercy and
Gracious Acceptance of them upon their Re-
pentance. Therefore, we have fet a -part a
Day for Fafting, Humiliation and ConfefT-
ipg our Sins unto the Lord, that we may
with Loathing and Deteflation put them a-
iray,
( II )
way, in order to the preparing of our Hearts.
fo renew our Covenant with GOD, that
we may get our Iniquities Pardoned ; and that
the Lord may receive us again gracioufly into
his Favour, and within the Bond of the Co-
venant, and his fatherly Care and Protection,
and direct us in going about fo great a Work,
and in his good Time reftore again to us the
Liberties and Freedom both of Church and
Nation, which we have fo Sinfully and Un-
worthily loft, and that he would in his great
Mercy referve fome, and raife up moe Wit-
neffes againft the Sins of the Times, and all
the wrongs done to his Intereft, and that the
Burning Buih may be preferved until that
Time, and that we lifting up our Hearts with
our Hands to our GOD in tke Heavens, by
Solemn publick Covenanting and Supplicati-
on, That the G O D of all Confola tion may
think upon us in Mercy that we PeriiK not.
Amongft the innumerable Sins that wc and
the Land are Guilty of, that we are to con-
fefs and forfake, and enter into Covenant
with GOD to put away, which are Caufes of
Repentance and Humiliation,thefe are a Part.
i. The deceitfulnefs of this Land, in their
former Covenanting, they have flattered thee
Lord with their Mouth, when their Hearts
have not been right with GOD, neither have
they been Stedfaft in his Covenant, as appear-
eth, by many Breaches of it, fuch as by the
unlawful Engagers and universal Refoluti-
B 2 oners.
( 12 )
0ners, 2. By many's returning like the Dog
to the Vomit, licking up abjured Prelacie
tin and again. 3. By accepting Indulgences
&nd Tollerations on Sinful Terms, contrary
to thefe Sacred and Solemn Engagments. 4.
By this unhappy Union, with a Prelatick
Church and Nation ; the poifoncd Source of
our Miiery, efpecially as a Church. All
Church Directions for Prayers, and Oaths
coining from Prelatick Hands, binding under
an irnpoiTibility of being a Reformed Pref-
byterian Church, as we were Reformed from
Popery; and without which, our Churchy
pdnftituficm cannot fubfifi. 5. The prefent
Breach of it after it was Pvenewed at Tjo-land
pill. 6. The Lamentable account that we
have, both as to the Renewing and Keeping .
of it, at Zduchenfiiugh) w.hich we_ defire to
weep over, rather than rehearfe.
2. The flighting of the Renewing of it
at the Revolution, after it had been fo ma-
inifeftly broken, neither afTerting the Intrin-
' lick Power of the Church, the Imart where
of they fadly found afterward.
3. The .crying Sin of the Saints Blood,*
I for adhering to CHRIST, differed
to pafs unpunillicd ; which, like the Blood of
■ yibel crys for Vcvgeaxce on the Land.
4. Receiving Perjured Tefced Men to
Places of Truft, and many Hundreds of thefe
to be Minifters and Elders without Repen-
tance, which was rather like a Ridding up a
1 '■''■ ' - %zbrt
( 13 )
Sal el of Confufion, then a Pure Temple to
the Lord-
5. The horrid Blafphemons Perjury of ma^
ny, efpecially Nominal Miniftcrs, renouncing
again and again the Work of Re formation,
and their Covenant with GOD, with ane
Oath, faying nay, Swearing we will not have
him to Reign over us, which is loathfbme to
the Souls, and makes the Hearts of the Lord's
People to tremble,- and both their Ears to
fmgie, at fuch abominable unparalelled wick-
edneis, committed in the Houfe of G O D,
to make him go far from his Sanctuary : Be
aitoniihed O ye Heavens at this, and be ye
horribly afraid !
6. The Klindnefs and Lamentable Igno-
rance of many, That knows nor that Epifo>
pacywas received into the Houfe of GOD,
in the Years 171 2 and 1713, and again and
again, ftrongly Fortified, by the fe multiplied
and reiterated TreshyUrian overthrowing,
Church of En land Eilabliihing Oaths. 2.
The Deferrable abjured curied indifference,
^Neutrality and Lukemarmnefs of many o-
thers-, that carethnot if they can keep the
Swine tho' C H R IS T be both befought and
abjured out of our Coafts.
7. The Church Renting and Betraying
Courfes, that many take putting on a Form
of Godlinefs, and denying the Power of it,
taking unlawful Oaths, and promifes of Peo-
ple, and binding them up inFa&ions to them-
felves,
( 14 )
felves, and Baptizing them to them felves*
which fome call a coming up to our Tcfti-
mony, and others ait imbodying, and many
Back-fteps and Fore-fteps they take ; by fe-
cret Connivencies, with one another; and
alfo, with the open Enemy {training at Gnats,
£rid fwallowing Camels, painted Hypocrites
fearching for Moats in their Neighbours Eye,
and never caft out the Beam that is in their
pwn Eye.
8. The Admirable unftedfaftnefs of many
wandering from Opinion to Opinion, grofly
Ignorant of what is Right or Wrong, and
yet f welling in Pside as if all mould be Rul-
ed by them, Condemning to Hell the Day
what they cryed up to Heaven the laft Day,
and the 3d Day Juftifying what the laft Day,
they condemned > like a Tree when Young,
got a wafTof the Wind of Error, that hath
fo lhaken it at the Root that it never thrives
again, wandring Stars, for whom we may
fear, for them is referved the Blacknefs of
Darknefsfor ever.
9. TheDeteftable cowardice of many Pro-
feffors, the Sound of a making leaf chafeth
them and they flee, when none purfueth, for
fear of Worldly Lofs; and the LOR Din
his Juftice, when they flee from a Bear makes
a Lyon to meet them, declaring they will fol-
low CHRIST for Loaves in a Fair Day,
but follow him forhimfeli in a Foul Day, that
they will not do,
10 The
C H )
to. The Woful wordlymindednefs of ma*
ny minding their own Things, and not the
Things of JESUS CHRIST.
ii. The horrid Pride and Lazinefs of ma-
ny Profeffors, their great Deilgn is to
appear more than others, rather than to do
more than others.
12. The hidden Deceit of the Heart frill
appearing on new Occafions, Deceiving one
another, fo that we can pnt no Trult in a
Friend, nor Confidence in a Guide or a Bro-
ther, for they will fupplant, and then forfake,
and falfly Slander when they have done.
13. That we are given more to Difpute
about Religion, than to pra£tice it, or know
it in its Heart converting, and Soul transform-
ing Power ; rather to fpeak to it as a piece of
Theory or Speculative Knowledge, which
our Fathers did Swear unto, and fuffered for,
then Sworn to, and flood by, by our felves.
But, as we would not be tryfted with a Specu-
lative Heaven, and poiTefs it only by proxies,
the Late practical Reforming Sufferers, let
us in good Earneft and Serious Sobernefs
Humble our felves before the LORD, Re-
new our Covenant with him, and fuffer for it,
if we be called to it, as they did, that we may
be Glorified as they are.
Secondly, As we are guilty of thefe, and
innumerable Sins, fo there are many fore
aud heavy Judgements lying upon us, fuch as
theSovcraignityofthe Nation is gone, and
alfo
r is ) „
alfo the Priviledge, of the Church, l\6w we
can be called ncither,but poor Servants to our
Neighbours ; the good Land which the Lord
gave to our Fathers for an Inheritance. 2.
The Purity in Plenty and Power of Ordinan*
ces are gone, becaufe we have hated Inftrtic-
tion, we feek the Lord but do not find him.
3. The Church is driven to the Wildernefs,
and the Initruments of unrighteoufnefs waging
War with them that keep the Commandments
Of GOD , and the Teitimony 'of J E S U S.
Therefore, let us prefent our Souls and Bo-
dies as well as our earneit Supplications, to
the God pf -Mercy, through the bleffed Media-
tor of the I\'ew Covenant, and renew our
Broken Covenant with him, forfaking all
our Iniquities, and taking the Lord alone,-
to be our Judge, our Lawgiver, our King,
and our Saviour, that ever after -we may
Pray in faith, Lord we are thine fave thou
us, who knows but the Cloud of ane Hand
breadth may cover the Heavens, and the
Lord may fend a plentiful Kainof pure Got.
pel Ordinances, Grace and Favour, and if
not fuddenly then let us wait and bear the In-
dignation of the Lord, becaufe we have fin-
ned againft him, untill he arife and Plead our
Caufe, and to beg of GOD that he would
make King and Pullers nurfing Fathers to
his Church, and that in this Difrnal Time of
the falling of the Stars, he would keep
fome of them- in his Right Hand, give others
of
'
( *7 )
bf them repentance, and caft the obiririafe
bbdured Impenitent out of his Houfe, andn6t
leave himfelf without a Witnefs at this 1 mt7
that the Lord may prepare our Hearts for Cd-
venanting with him, and not deny convert-
ing Power in Ordinances, and that you may
know what we are to engage to, Rad over
the National Covenant, and Solemn league,
Confeflions of Sins and Engagements to Du-
ties, and know that the Covenants are not
a thing Indifferent, nor yet different from
the Bible, but a Solemn Oath, to Serve and
WorihipGOD according to his Word, A eh.
X. 29, Prelacy and Popery are abjured, be-
caufe condemned in the Word of GOD, {6
of Indifference in the Matters ofGOD, and
we engage to give Csjar his Due, andQOJ)
fiis, becaufe lb the Word commandeth us,
andfo wepromifeinour Engagment toDtp
Let Us fetarx>ut this great Work, in the?
Strength of CHRIST, with all the Heart di-
ligent Preparation and Prayer, and firong Ex-f
Reflation of Mercy, this is the great Gofpel
encouragement, with him there is Mercy and
plenteous Redemption, to redeem from all I-
iriquity -, much Luck is going about his Hancfr,
and he will not diffapoint the Expectation of
the Poof, and if the L O R £) fee our Works,
that we turn from the evil of our Way he
will turn from the evil he hath threatned to
do, and not do it ; Remove the Judgments
lying upon us, blot out all our Iniquities, and
beftow upon us all thefe faving Bleffings,
that our Souls* Churchy and Nation Hand in
need of, that we being the Bleffed that Weep
now, and ftiall be Comforted, and that we
may be helped to diligence, in the Work
of our Station, Generation and Salvation,
having made our Vows we may each Day
perform them.
laUdMBCta
A PRE-
( 19 )
$$$&&$&&$&&$$&$$$
««&««®&®#®#«
A
-PREFACE.
WE are met together this Day, to Humble
our felves before the LORD, for
all our Abominations, and efpecially
for perfidy and breach of Covenant with
GOD, andwoiildto GOD there may be
as happy ; yea, and more happy an account of
this Fait, amongft us Troteflants, as there
was of that Fall amongft Poor Heathens,
Jonah III icv jAnd G OT> faw their
Works that they turned from the Evil of their
WaySj and GOT) repented of the Evil he faid
he would do to them, and he did it not.. Mark
it Sirs, 'tis not laid when he faw their Profefik
on, or Three Days Falling that he repented,
no, but it is when he faw their Works. Friends
GOD cares not for your Dyver Formal
Fails, Ifa. LVIII. 5. Is it fuch a Faft that I
have chofen a T)ay for a Man to Afflict his
Soul, is it to bow down his Head like a 7$ml-
rujhy and like a Bullrulh hang down its Head
when
f 20 )
when it is preffed with Rain, to feek GOD
only like thete Hypocrites, Pfal LXXVIII.
34,. When he flew them, then they [ought ' himy
but they flattered him with their Mouth, and
l'yed with their Tongues to him, for tho* their
Words were good their Hearts was not right
with GOD, neithef were they ftedfaft in
his Covenant, to be a Temporizer like the
Bu]lruih, to bow its Head to all the opppfye
joints of tjie Compafs, according as the Wjnd
of Temptation blows, from contrary Airts,
or is it a Fait to be feen of Men, like the Pha-
risees' ; though it may be faid of them thefe are
a very Godly People, no GOD will have
Works and turning from Sin, when GOD
faw their Works he repented of the E vil that
he thought to do to them, and did it not : And
there are thefe Four Sorts of Sins I advife you
all to turn from.
1 . Turn from the Sin of Prophamty con-
fiding in grofs A'&sof Wkkednefs, fuch as
are recorded 1 Cor. VI. 9, 10. Know ye not
that the unrighteous Jhail not Inherit the fiing-
dom of GOT) t "Be not deceived, neither For-
nicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Ef-
feminate, nor abufers of themfehes with Man-
kind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor drunk-
ards, nor RevilerSy nor Extortioners Jhall in-
herit the Kingdom of GOT). It will be when
GOD feeth your Works, that ye turn from
thefe, and the like Abominations that he will
turn from the Evil he thought to do to us, and
not
( ** )
not do it. Another Sin of Prophanity that we
mu it turn from, is the Sin of felling our Birth-
Right, mark it People of GOD, that GOD
whom ye profefs to be your GOD, calls fel-
lers of their Birth-Rights Prophanc Perfons.
Hebr XII. 15,16. Looking Diligently, left any
of you fail of the Grace of GOD, left there be any
tpropbane "Per Jon Among ft you as Efau, v:bo
for one morftll of Meat fold bis "Birth-Right.
Mark now Sirs Selling of the Birth-Right is
the firit nepof Apoftacie, Efau played the A-
poftate from GOD, and failed of the Grace
of GOD, how did he that r Alas I Pro-
phane Man he fold his Birth-Right, but what
did Efau fell when he Sold his Birch-Right?
Mark Sirs, the fame that Scotland ham Sold,
with which Scotland began its Apoitary, as
Efau did. 1 . Efau Sold his Birth-Right, that
is the Government which belonged then to
the Firit Born, he Sold it to jfacob the young-
er Brother, fo hath Scotland the oldett Moiv-
archie upon Earth, that ever was, older than
the . Babylonians, older than the Perfians,
older than the Empriars, older than the
Monarchic oilfrael it feif, older thanEngland
to whom we have Sold our Birthright and
that fsix no lefs than the Space of One Thou*
fand one hundred and thirty one Years. 2dly9
Efau fold his Birth-Right that is the Miniflrie
cr Priefthood, for then there was no Nati-
onal Church, but the Priefthood came by
Birth-Right i this he fold with the Birth-Right*
and
( 22 )
and therefore was a Prophane Perfon, fo hatft
Scotland fold the Miniitrie Scotland's Birth-
Right to the Prelats of England, by fun en-
dering to, and puting the Governments in
their Hands; iq that now they muft under
pain of Rebellion, Pray, and Swear, keep
Fail-Days and Thankfgiving-Days, devifed
by, and with the Authority of the Lordly Pre-
lats of Englandy for all thefe Oaths and Orders
came to the fo called "Presbyterian Church of
Scotland ; be it ena&ed by — —the Advice q{
the Lords Spiritual and alfo by their Authork
ty that f uch things be done and fuch Oaths be
Sworn, and the Minifters obeys, and Swears,
and I appeal to all who have the ufe of Rea*
fon who Governs, and bears Rule over the
Kirk of Scotland, is it not the Lords Spirit*
ual t enforcing fuch Things by their Autho-
rity, and who obeys thefe 16 Bifhops, is it
not thefe that call themfelves "Presbyterian Mi-
nifters, in Scotland? Strange! "Presbyterians
ruled by outlandifh Bifhops. >Tis evcncontra-
dido in ^er minis : Yea, Perjury in the formal
Notion thereof, feeing the Presbyterians in
Scotland, Sware to GOD in the National Co-*
venant that the civil Places of Church Men
was unlawful, and in the fecond Article of the
Solemn League, that they would extirpate
Popery and Prelacy, and the Government
of the Church by Bifhops, Sec. 3. Efau's
Birth-Right that he fold was part of his Co-
venant with GOD, which as it took in the
Priefthood was like GOD's Covenant with
Levi
( *3 )
jLt'vi, Mai. II. 5. My Covenant was with
him of Life and Teace, So 'tis Scotland's
Birth-Right to have a Minifterial Covenant
with GOD, of Life and Peace, profainly
fold at this Day. 4. As Efau in felling hisBirth-
Right was Prophane in that he fealed and con-
firmed the Seal thereof with an Oath. Gen. 25.
34. Efau Swore to Jacob, and went to Eat and
T>rink, living on too dear bought Food, the
Price of Government both Civil and Ecclefi-
aftical, the Price of G CD's Covenant with
him, of Life and Peace, fo have the Minifters
of Scotland fworn- away their Birth-Right to'
the Biftiops o{ England, who forc'd them to
fwear to them. 5. Efau's Prophanity appeared
in this, that he fold fnch a precious Birth-
Right for fnch a bafe, or infignificant Equiva-
lent as a morfel of Meat, fo Scotland putting
too high aft efteem on the Equivalent, that
England offered them, either what England
had taken from them at the Africa Trade, or
what they gave them for their lofs of fo much
I by the change of their Coin, it was a bafe E-
quivalent that Scotland fhould have fold, re-
nounced,put away, Things both Sacred and 0*
vil of Soul and Bodie, for a part, and fo in-
fignificant a Part of what was their own,
CHR 1ST bought Scotland dearer than fo:
Turn then from thefe fins of Prophanity, O
Covenanters, for your Part.
I A 2d Sin ye would turn from,before ye enter
Ira Covenant with GOD, i* the fin of Hypo--
crifie
.( 24 )
crifie; how long O Scotland will you belike k
whitted Sepulcher, fair without, but within
full of Extortion and Filthinefs, Mat. XXIII.
24. How long Jh all this be t by -weary Conditi-
on. Tit. I 16. 'Profejjjngye know G07D, but
in works denying him, being abominable and dis-
obedient, and to e-very good work Repro*
bate<
3 Turn from finf ul fear of Man, the Sin
of 'Scotland, in this degenerate Age, which it
was not of old fo guilty of, keep a Confci-
eace void of offence toward Man, but have
not a flavi/h Fear of Man* or elfe fee how
youwillanfwerthat Queitioii, If*. LI. 12.
Who art thou that art afraid of Man, that muft
T>ie, andforgetejl the LO R:D thy maker- Ifej
VIII. 12. Fear not their F(ar, butfantlifie
the LordofHojls, and let him be your, fear, and
bejhdll be to you a Sanctuary : If you by the
fear of Man be forced to Sin, then I- give you
fair warning by the Power of GOD, you
ihall not only be forced to torment, but ihall
be among the firft Rank and forlorn Hope to
Hell: Rev. XXl 8. 'But the Fearful and Un-
believing, and Abominable, and Murderers^
and Whoremongers.- and Sorcerers, and Idola-
ters, and all Lyersjhall home their Tart in the
Lake that bnmeth with .Fire and Brimftone.'
Mark it Sirs, there's a Black Scroll of Hell,
but the uglieft of them all the forlorn Hope,
are the fearful, the Minifter fears the Biftiop,
and he Swears, the Parochincr the Miniiter'
and
( *5 )
and he Apoftolizeth, the Tenant, theMaflcr;
and give* over the Caufe of CHRIST;
and trie weary hinderend of all is ; the Spi-
rit of G O D fends them a packing as the ford-
lorn hope to Hell.
4. Turn from the Sin of Time Serving, O
thou unliable A thie ft I that knows not what
Religion thou wilt be of, the next Year
becaufe the Ads of the next years Parlia-
ment, are known to none but GOD, on
which your Religion Depends, nor what
fort of an Oath True or Falfe, ye will
Swear the next Year, becaufe the Court hath
not told you neither knows any but GOD
who ihall be the Impofer, but we know, that
ye ftiallCurfe the Impofer, and be driven to
Darknefs, Ifa. VIII 21, 22; Curfe your King,
who Commanded as a G O D, becaufe he
could not Save like a GOD, fo much for
what ye are to turn from, and leave undone.
2. Let fee your Works what you do, to root
Sin out of the Heart and Conveffatiofi, what
ye do to hold ftill a departing Chrift, what
ye do to oppofe the apoiracy of theTimes,wh2t
youdoto get Reformation again in theLand,
what you do to loofe the bonds of wicked-
nefs, whereby every Faction are bound up
by themfelves and from all others, what
you do to get the Heart, prepared, to make
a Bond of Holinefs, a healing and a joyning
Bond joyning to GOD and pne another, in
Renewing the broken Covenant, that we
D have
( 26 )
have bf bken with GOD and one, Another,
Jeremiah. L. 4. 5. At that time the Chil-
dren of Ifmel JhaJl come, they and the Chil-
dren of Judah together faying come let us
Joyn our felves to the Lord in a perpetual
Covenant never to be forgotten. If the Lord
fee fuch works as thefe, he will turn from
the evil that he thought to do to us, and
will not do it.-
That you may be Directed in the Right,
and acceptable . Manner of going about
this work of fafting and Repentance, and
Humiliation before your, Solemn entring
into and Renewing your Covenant with
God, I ihall, i/fhowyou what fort of fafting
and Humiliation the Lord will rejedfc 2.
What fort of fafting and Humiliation he
will not reject, O Sirs, take heed, there is
Life and Death here, a Heaven and a Hell,
here, Depending on the Lords Rejecting
or accepting of your work . Abel was a
faved Saint when God had refpe£t to him,
and to his Offering, Cain was a loft wretch,
when to Cain, and to his Offering- the Lord
had no Refpetl. Therefore.
1. The Lord Rejecls all fafts kept for
the fafliion and after Oftenration to faft for
the faflion,. becaufe other Men do it, when
a Day doth call for feafting and rejoycing
and giving thanks and Praifes to God, as
Mark, 2. 18. 19. 20. And the DifeifJeS
of John and of the Thdrifes ttfed to faft and
they
( 27 )
7 came to Jefus and J aid to him, why do
the Tjifciples' of John and of the Thar:
jjkjt i And thy T)ifciples faft hot, J ejus faith
to them, can the Children, of the "Bride. Chart*
her faft while the "Bridgrom is with them, a:
Long^ as they have the bride-grome they cannot
faft it is Qut of Seafon, hut the 'Days will
come when the Bride-grome Jhall hi taken
from them, then Jhall they faft in thofe T)ays.
John's T>ifciples faded bccaufe John was
not Chrift, and being Neceffarly employed
about John's. Hand, did want the enjoy-
ment of the bodily preferice of God, In-
carnat, the Pharifees failed out of faflion, and
Oftcntation, a pack of Godlefs gracelefs
Hypocrites, and alas we faft this day be-
came our Covenant with the bleffed Brid-
grom, is Rent, Broken and Burnt, and many
dear Saints who had given up their Names,
to him fent to their Graves in a Bloody
winding flieet, and becaufe the Bridgrom is
going away, from us, and the purity of ordi-
nances away, he hath taken his Leave of
many of our Matters and Chaplands^ and
is now faying to us, Poor Servants, I take
my leave of you, and we faft to fee if we
can hold him, Luke XXIV. He made us as
if he would have gone further but they
conftraincd him, faying abide with us j Not
fpr oitentationas the Pharifes, Mat. XXIII.
$ AH they Did was to be feen of Men.
2. He rejects all meritorious fafts whereby
D 2 fratfj?
( 28 )
Proud Men thinks to merit any thing at
his Hand, Like Papifls for the work done,
wherefore have we fafted fay they, and
thou fecit not Ifa. LVI1L 3. Wherefore
hare we afflicted our Souls, and thou takeft
iio knowledge, they fpake as if GOD,
would not give them the Good they Meri-
ted by their fait, but all our Kighteoufneffes
are as filthy &aggs, 3. He rejecteth a Fail:
the Prayers whereof arc diredted againftthe
People of GOD. Ijh, L VIII. 4. Te Faftfor
fir if e and debate and to prate with the Fiji
of wickednefs fuch a Fajt was that 1. Kings
XXI. 9. 1 3. Jezabcl Troclaimed a Baft ago,-
injl Go dly Nabqth, jet Nahoth on High among
tU Teofle and Raife falfe wrtneffes • againft
him, faying this Man hlafphamed GOT) and
the King, and ft one him tyitb Stones thxt he
23y, fuch Falls are kept by fome Here-ticks
m Scotland especially at Aflcmblies and
pqmmtiHons where they begin withFafting,
and end with Supplicating the King a-
gairift the People of GOD, Lying upon us,
and faying we are not fo loyal to him,
wiien we are more Loyal than themfelves,
4,: He rejefteth a Fail only for a day, on
which no amendement followeth, Ija. LVIII.
5- fi h fitch Q> Faft that I haw chofen a day
jor a Man to affliti his Soul fuch a Fa ft wai
Ahabs, 1. Kings XXL 29. Sceft thou how
Ahab humbleth hi [mfe If and yetnofooner is the
pafl: day qver, in the very next Chapter 1.
King.
( 29 )
Kivg. XXII. 29. B»t he is at the old pradc-of
Perfecution again, and lays, of Micajah take
this fellow and caft him in Prifon, for he
fays that I will fall at Ratnotb Gzkad, be-
caufe I Killed Naboth and will not reftore
his Vineyard and Rebuke Jczakel the
Queen, 5. He rejedeth all Fafts and duties
but of Chrift, Epb. I. 6. We are only accep-
ted in the helmed, our Perfons, muft be ac-
cepted in Chrift before our Prayers be taken
of our Hand.
2. The Fa ft that the Lord accepeth is, ijff,
ToloofetheHandsof wickednefs, and let the
oppreffed go free to break the Covenant
with Death, and Hell, break the Oaths that
bind to fuperftition againft the word of GOD
and our Covenant Engagements, to him If a.
LV11I. 6. Break thefe Oaths and Promifes, that
Societes witlefly, Graceleily, wickedly, & Ma-
iicioitfly have made in contempt of GOD>
a nd hisWoid, and againft the Doftrine pf
Reformed, Churches, wherein fome fwe a r to
caft of Duty to the Magiftrat in things Lawful
and Civel, 8t Ignorantly fay they wonld obey
Lawful Magistrates, whereas the Confeflion
of Faith which they oun, faith a Magiftrate
may be Lawful; tho' differing, from them
in "Religion, Chapter, XXIII. DifTernce
in Religion does not make void, the Magi-
strates Juft and Legal Title ; nor loufe the
fubjcfls from their due Obedience to him, and
others make Men to promife not to hear the
Pure Goifel Preached, becaufeof perfonal
Pick,
4
( 30 )
Pick, to fay no worfe, or otherwife they mult
have no Church Benefite. 2. To undo ilea*
vy "Burdens, Ifa. LVI1L 6. So that Mailers
of Grounds and Families mult not opprefs
their Tennants, or Servants; nor Magiftrates
ppprefs Minifiers with Dark and Dubious
Oaths ; nor Minifiers by perfwading and com-
pelling People to comply with them, in fuch'
linfull Courier, under pain of Excomunicati-
ons leffer or greater. 3. To get a Heart
broken of from Sin and for Sin. Joel II.
j 2, 13. Turn to me with Fatting, and rent thy
Heart, and not thy Garment, Ifa. LVIII. 8.
Then Jbatl thy light fpring upfuddenly, and thy
Righteoufnejs /ball go before tbte \ and the Glo-
ry of the Lordjhalibe thy R.ere-ward, and we
(hall have a fweet Day of Covenanting with
GOD.
Let us put up, Joynt Supplications to
GOD, that we may be helped to a Failing
Repenting Frame.
Jl— iX-4V->™
( 31 )
LECTURE.
,Ifa. XXII. 4} 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, n, 12, 13, 14.
And therefore j aid I, look away from me, I
will weep bitterly j labour not to comfort me ;
lecaufe of the f polling of the "Daughter of my
T? eo pie. For it is a Day of "Trouble, and of
trading down, and of 'Perplexity by the
LORD GOD oj 'bofts in the Valley of
Vijion, breaking down the Walls, and of
crying to the Mountains, &c.
I8RA.EL.w3ls averyimful People and
therefore often a Very Diltreffed People,
Men are no better of hearing theGofpel,
unlcfs their . Converfation be as becometh the
Gofpel: Becaufe Sentence is not fpeedily
Execute againft ane evil Work .* therefore
the Hearts of the Children 01 Men ceafe not
to do continually evil, but as Men have their;
' Time of Sinning •, fo GOD hath his Time of
Punifhing. 'Tis vain for Abjurers of their Co-
venant With GOD, to think becaufe GOD
hath not yet Puniflied them ; therefore he will
never do it. Wait but a Tittle till his Time
come. A Murderer, or Malafa£tor is riot
prefently Hanged, but wait a little till he be
Apprehended, caft in Prifon, the Judge fit on
him, and the Crime proven, and the Sentence
pad, and put in Execution, fo the Lord muft
apprehend by Death, and a guilty Confcience,
they mult be call in Prifon of a Death-Bed,
and the Grave Panneled, the Crime Proven,
and the Sentence pa ft, and put in Execution
for the Judgment Day is then come, GOD
hath his Time fet to puniih.
In thefe Words Read, we have the Holy
Prophets doleful Lamentation, becaufe the
Time was come when the Lord had inflifled
the Puniihment due to Jfrael for their Sin
upon them, therefore faid I, look away from
me, I will Weep bitterly ; obferve from it,
that Shame and Puni/hment go Hand in Hand,
Oh faith the Prophet ! I think /hame to fet my
Head out of Doors, you have lived in a Land
that hath la viihed away fo many mercies and
brought on much Mifery on themfelves, the
Church of Scotland as long as GODforbears to
puniih, may wipe her Mouth with the Whor-
iili Woman, and fay, I am Innocent, but Hay
till the LORD bring on the Puniihment,
and then they will think /hame to befeen,
turn away from me, fy ihame on us^ how
would we have Reformed t and brought a
Church out of "Babylon, you Blind Guids
have fo deformed it, that we are next Door
to the Gates of Rome with it.
uQbf. 2. It is very Heart-breaking to the
Godly efpecialiy Godly Minifters, when
they
( 33 )
they fee the Judgments come on a finfu] Peo-
ple that they often told them their Sins would
bring on: Oh Sirs ! ye miftake us, as if we
Jiad ill Will at you, when we tell ybtt
there is fad Days coming on you for all
your Sins, and the abounding Perjury, and
Apoftacy of this Day, no; we will not only
Mourn, and have fore Hearts, as Tfdi'nh when
we fee the Judgments come, of which we
have forwarned you, but with Jeremiah our
Heart is broken for your difobedient Obftt-
nacie, and Impenitency, even before, the
Judgment come, Jer . XIII. 1 5, 1 6yi 7. Hear
ye Troud, giue Glory to the Lord your God be-
fore he cauje Darknefs, before your Feet flumbie
'on the dark Mountains, and while ye look for
Light ye find none, but he turn it unto the Sha-
dow of "Death, and make it grefs Darkntjf
And if ye will notheav, mySoulfholi Weep in
fecretTlacesforyourTride. JerilX; t.tythdp
my Head were Waters, and wine Eyes a Foun-
tain of "Tears, that 1 might weep T>ay and
Night for the Slain of the TJai/ghters of myTeo-
■fle : This was the Caufe of our L OR DJs
Weeping over Jerufalem, Luke XIX. 41, 42.
She minded not in her Day the Things that be-
longs to her Teace, but killed the Trophets Re-
jefted and Crucified the Son of G 07>, till her
Knemies laid her low even with the T)v.fi, our
mifguiding of pure Ordinances and privi-
ledges, makes us this Day Mourn over the
Graves of thefe buried Priviledges.
E Becaufe
< 34 )
Becauic of the fpoilingof my people. Obs:
3d that when the LORD'S People turns
Incorrigible in fin5 and will not take war-
ning, the LORD delivers them up for a
fpoil, and a prey to Enemies, Ifa. 42. 24 25.
fabo gave Jacob for a fpoil and Jfrael to the
Robbers, did not the LORD, HE againjl
ipbowe we had finned, for they -mould not walk
in his ways, therefore he hath pound on them the
'Bury of his Anger, and the ftre?igih of "Battle
md it hath Jit him on fire round about yet he
knew it not, and it burred him, yet he laid it
mi to heart, Jen 5. 3. Thou cor, fmtd them, yet
they received no CorreCxion never amends
till Judgement come. And when it is come
do as Antichriftians, gnawed their Tongues
for Pain, and repented not, but blaiphemed
him that had Power, over thefe Plagues,
we are this Day fpoiled of our Priviledges-
both civil Sr facrecl, this fays, we have been
an obftinate People, and we do not amend
Nor lay it to Heart, we may take up that
Lamentation, Sam. V. \6. The Crown is
fallen from our Head, wo to us for we have fitfr
In verfe 5. He further enlargeth on the
growls of weeping, for it is a day of Trouble
i the Lord of Hofis, in the valley of
Villon, of breaking down the Walls, U crying
to the Mountains; by Valley of Vifion un-
derhand the Church, became there the Lord j
Reveals himlelf to his People; By Trouble I
XJnderfland
( 35 )
Uunderfland all Sorts, of Judgments, and
Calamities on the Sinfull Nation and the
great trouble and difficulty a few faithful!
Miniiters have, to get the Gofpel and
a Teftimony Keeped up againft the abo-
minations and Innovations, of the times by
breaking down the walJs, we underitand
the taking away of the Hedge of Gover-
nment from the Church or protection of GOD
from Church or Nation, and by crying to
Mountains crying in vain to great men, not
to break the hedge of Goverment, Obs. i.
That tho, by fin we procure trouble, yet we
are to take it out of the hand of GOD as a
RfeKJK>us Judge, its perplexity from the
LORD of holts, we need not fay it is men
that have wronged us, as to our civill and
facred priviledges, It is the Juft doing of
the Lord, of Holts, Amos III. 6. Can there,
be a»y rvill in the City, and the Lord hath
not done it, of the evillof Sin there is, but
not of the evill of punifhment, Lam. I. $.
Her Enemies are the Chief her Aduerjarks
prof per, for the Lord hath afflitted her, for '
the Multitude of her Tranfgrejjions, Lam. II. 2.
'The LORD hath overthrown in his wrath
thejfrong holds oft he T)augoter of yudah, he '
hath brought them down to the Ground, he hath
polluted the Kingdom and the "Princes thereof.
Obs. 2. The Lord will not keep up a hedge I
abjut a Vineyard, nor protection about a<\
Caurch 01 Nation, which anfwers not the
Pains'
C 3* ).
'fains that is taken upon it, Scotland may
read this day their Sin, in their puniihment
in this. Ila. V. 4, The. Lord homing Ticnt-
td an Hedge about his Vineyard in fie ad of.
Grapes it brought forth Wild Graf es, in Head
of Reformation Deformation, m ftead of'
tlplinefs Sin, fays I will take away the
Hedge thereof, and it fliall be eaten up and
troclendown, iYead a Le&nre of Scotlandsiin,
in Scotlands pnniiliment, the hedge of civil
Protection taken from the Church in the
Toleration A£i, the Words are, hereby, all
Magistrates are. ftrickly Prohibit and Dii-
eharged, to help this Church in piirfuing
any Crime whatsoever, againft any Perfon
tho/ the Crime Deferve Excomunication,
and from forcing, any Perfon, to obey the
£etenceof the Kirk, when palled, and this is
a fad Evidence that for Sin GOD hath
taken, his Protection from them, and every
one at home, and abroad, eating up thofe
in whom any Sign of Koneily, appears, and
1 will command the Clouds thai they Kain
ftp more B..ain upon, it, I will not allow
faithitill Mitufters, who are called Cjov.ds,
and their Doctrine dew, to fpend their f;re: gth
in Watering them with iv/eet, Gofpel
ihowres, ,who_are a Vineyard that Calls up
ling but Poyibn. Deut. XXXII 33
For ti.cir ^yint is of the Vine, of $ochmi
e jielilofGc . .
of (i$U, ihik i art "* litter, their
Wine.
( 37 )
Wine is the poyfon of Dragons, and the
cruel venom of Alps, then faith the LOBlD to
me belongeth Vengeance, and their Feet ihall
Slide in due time, for the day of their cala-
mity is at Hand.
And then there is a crying to the Moun-
tains, when the wall of Go verment is break-
ing down-, to great Men called Mountains in
•Scripture, Micah. 6. i. contend ye before the
Mountains, and let the Hills hear thy voice,
that is the great Men, fo was it with the
Church, of Scotland, when they fent down
orders for Patronages, and for taking the
Protedion , from the Church, then many
Cry : O Madam •, O Sir O Mountains, and
Powers of Brittain, let our Church G&i'ctw
ment (land, take not away the Hedge of
civil Government from our Vineyard, but
all in, vain, for GOD will have it away,
I will take away the Hedge from the
Poyfonous, Vineyard, for their Wine is the
Poyfon of .Dragons, and the Cruel Vencm
of Alps, and if not the next Cry is, O
Mountains ! O Madam ! O Sir ! If you
take away the Hedge, be not fo ill as you
may be, Do not make us Perjure our felves,
to Swear to pluck the Hed^e with
our Hand, tofwearto Maintain the prelaiick
Government:, which we have Sworn again &
again to extirpat to the uttermoil of our
Bpwer, but all in vain, for there Vii.e
if the Poyfon of Dragons and cruel venom of
Afps,
( 38 )
Afps, the Third Cry, is O Momntains ! O
Madain ! O Sir ! If you will take away the
Hedge of the Church, let us keep the Stipends,
no quoth they, except ye fwear to us quickly
to break down your Hedge with your Hands.
The fourth Cry is O Mountains ! O Madam!
OSir! we hope if your iiiihops make us fwear
as they pleafe ; yet we hope that the Lords
Spiritual will be moderate in the exercife
of their Authority, and fuffer us to pray
as we pleafe for compelled Prayers are ill
for the Soul, but in Vain for be it enaded,
by the Lords Spiritual] if ye mifs a Jot of
the ipring of the Prayer that they have
thought fit to impofe on you, it ihall coft
twenty Pounds fterJing for the firft Fault,
and three Years Stipends fof the fecoud; io
the walls are down the Flowres do fade
arid Poyfonfpringing up & in verfe 6. 7. 8.
The Hedge being taken away all goes to
Ruin, and Sword together on all iides, fy
then ~Elam and Kin to the Quiver, with
Chariots Horicmen and Shields, id your
felves in Array, at the Gate of this rejected
iinfull People ; and then the forlorn fpoiled
Hypocrites, to Arms calling of Ditches and
fortifying the WalJ m vain, feing they
look not 10, trie Lo- J, nor repent of and
turn from their Sins, and Apoftacies to the
Lord by Repentance and Reformation.
And therefore the Lord wiping toReeeire
them under his gracious Protection again
calls7
( 39 ( .
calls for amendment, In* that Day did the.
Lord GOD of Hofts call to Weeping and
Mourning and Failing, Let us do fo at this
time, when all is to Ruin, as they did
Jonah 3. ro:' Wbt* G07) fatv their Works,
that they turned from their evil! Ways the Lord
repented af the Evill he [aid he would do to
them, and he did it not. " But if there be Toy
and Gladnefs, and Feafting at fuch a Time,
we may fear that Threatning, that our well
Days are done, and that this Iniquity iliall
not be taken away tiH we die, that is fiiall
never be forgiven.
SERMON!
i. Sam. 4. 21- And Jhe named the Child
Ichabod faying the Glory is departed from If-
rael/br the Ark of G&D is taken.
As Canaan was the Glory of all Lands, fo
the prefence of the Lord in Canaan, whereof
the Ark, was a Sign, was the Glory,
of Canaan, and therefore, it is that when
the Ark of GODy which was the token
of his Pretence, was taken, that this Godly
Woman Lamented with fo heavy a La-
mentation, the Ark of GOD is taken, there-
fore the Glory is Departed from IpaeJ in
Chap. II. and 11. we have an account of
the great Wickcdnefs and Covetoufnefs of
the Priefts, for which the Lord threatned
to
( 40 )
to cut tliem off, and that they mould fee
an Enemy in the Lords Habitation. And in
the firft and iecond verfes of this Chap,
they loic a Battle with the PhiliiUnes, and
then they fend for the Ark of GOD, to'
the Camp expoling it to Danger* and bring-
ing it out of the Tabernacle, where it ought
to nave been, to the Army where it ought
not to have been, as now the Minifters of
"Scotlond corning in danger, expofed the
Ark of GOD taking it out of the Church,
and Surrendering it to the Civil Power think-
ing if there be any hazard let the Ark of
GOD rtand in the Stowr for all. Upon
this they lois the Ark, as we have done
theCaufeof CHRIST,- and when thefe
heavy Tydings come to the Godly Woman,
ihe is fo funk with Sorrow, that her
Pangs come upon her, and ihe giveth up
the Ghoft, breathing out her la it Breathy
in that doleful Lamentarion, the Glory is
departed kom Ifrael, for the Ark of GOD
is taken, there is no Glory, or, where is the
Glory, no Beauty, no Freedom or Majefty
in all the Coaits of Ifrael ; all is gone with
GOD, and his Ark. The Glory is De-
parted from Ifrael, for the Ark is taken.
In thefe words are Three things. i.Such
a lofsasmade the Woman forrow to Death
becaufe the Ark of GOD was taken, for
the Ark of GOD is taken. 2. The greatnefs
of the lofs held out in the Name given to
the
( 4* )
the Ark, flie calls it the Glory, the Beauty^
Ma jefty and excellency of Ifrael the Glory is
Departed* 2. In the.Univerfality of the
Lois, it is not a Jtofs to this or that particu-
lar Peribn, family* Rank,, or .Degre of
People, but an Univerfal Iqfs to all the
Kingdom of Ifrael, . Church, and Siater
high and low Man, and Woman in Every
Place let a Perfon go through all the
Nooks of Ifrael, and ask wherever the y
go, where is the Ark -7 of GOD ? where
is the Glory f Every Place and every
Perfori anfwereth with Lamentation^
it is net with me, it is not with me, No.
GOD, No Ark, No GLOB.Y here, no no*
in ill Ifrael 0\ Doleful 1 iln, the caufe of {3
fad and univerfal a Lois, and Doleful!
.Lamentation, The Glory is departed from
Ifrael, for the Ark of God is taken, and this
is the Sad efec* of having fo many Gods: a$
Ifrael often had, Nov/ it is come to this they.
have not a GOD at all let us beware wc
make not Men, our GOD, the World our
GOD, our Belly, our GOD, Left it come to
that we have not a GOD, at all," all loft and'
Lament with Saul now I am in fore Diftrefs^
for the T?M?ftians make war againft me, and
GOD, is departed from me, or like Ifrael
the Pricfts prefeted their gain to their GOD,'
and were jail fee on great Steepends, as
many in Scotland* are per fas aut ncfos,
Bight or wrong, and the upiliot ii>" GOD
F is
( 42 )
is a Miffing, the Glory is departed from Ifrail
3. This was fuch a lofs that no Mercy
bcflde could make up the Lofs thereof* ihe
had got a Mercy, and a great one too de-
livered of a Man Child, of which Mercy
our Lord fays John, XVI. 21 . A. Woman
in Tra-veli hath Sorrow, hut when floe is de~
Ihered forgetteth her angui/h, for Joy that a
Man Child is "Born into the World, hut this
Mercy could not make up the Lofs of the
Ark "of GOD, call the Child, I~chabod, the
Glory is "Departed from Ifrael, for the Ark
of GOD is taken.
And now Sirs, this is the heavy Work*
6f this day of Fatting, to Lament and be-
wail our Lois, which is like Ifrael, our
Ark the Sign of the Prefence of GOD it
taken from us, for the Right Doftrine,
Difcipline, Worlhip, and Government of
the Ho trie, of GOD, according to the pat-
tern ihe wed in the Mount is away, I-chabod
flow the Glory is departed from Scotland^
for the Ark of GOD, is taken, for as the
Ark of GOD to Ifrael when they had . it
was a Sign of his Gracious Prefence with
them, and a Sign of his departure when it
was away,, even fo the Doclrine Wor/hip,-
Difcipline ,and Government of the the Houfe
b'f GOD, when Right is a Sign of his
Gracious prefence with us, and when wrong
a Sign of his departure from us.-
Do£trinc. That when a People Provoke
the Lord by their Sin, to take away the
Right
( 43 )
Hight Doctrine, Worftiip, Difcipline, and
Government of his Houfe, which are the
Tokens of his Gracious Prefence; and the
Glory of the Land, then there is Ground to
Lament I-chabod the Glory is departed from
Ifrael, and let us look this day, totheHaufe
of GOD, and the Abufes there committed,
and we may apply that fad Word, Ezekiel
VIII 6. What Abominations are thefe that
are committed here faith the Lord% to make-
me go far away from my Sanctuary.
That you may be ftirred up to a penk
tent and Mourning frame, on this day oi
Fairing, that you may be the better Prer
pared for entering in Covenant with GOD,
to bring back his Ark, lihall, i. prove that
the Glory is departed from Scotland, and
the Ark of God is taken for the Right
Doctrine Difcipline Worfliip and Govern-*
ment of the Houfe of GOD is gone, 2.
What Refemblance there is betwixt the
Ark, of GOD, and the Right Do&rme,
Worfliip Difcipline, and Govenment of his
Houfe. 3. what Some of the Chief provok-
ing Sins are, that hath provoked the Lord
to ftripe this Poor Church and Nation of
the Glory- 4* Improve itihortly: Firftthat
our Ark, our Glory is away, viz. the Right
Government, Doctrine, Difcipline and Wor-^
fliip of the Houfe of GOD, I fhall prove
it by Scripture, and our own fad Experi-
ence.
F 2 Ana
( 44 )
Anifirftas to the Government, that it is a-
way, I prove thus, whatever Church hatft
another King to give Laws to them, be-
fides, or contrary to King JESUS, and
that Church fubmit to that King, and theie
Laws in Things Sacred, and belonging to
Confidence, the Glory of that Church is away,
as; to her Government : But fuch is the Con-
dition of the Church of Scotland ; Therefore,
the Glory of the Church of Scotlmd\ Go-
vernment is away, here I have to mew. ij%
That JESUS, is only King, Head and
Lawgiver of his Church, id, That the
Churchof Scotland have another King befides
C HR 1ST, whoirnpofeth Laws, and they
obey thefe Laws, befide and contrary to the
Laws of King JESUS. 3d, That when
it is fo, the Glory of the Church of Scotland
is away.
i. I prove, that the LORD JESUS
CHRIST is only King and Head of His
Church, and neither, Pope, King, Parlia-
ment, or Biiliop, can arrogar this Privi-
ledge to thcrrifelves, without Invading the
Ku.glom and Royal Prerogative? of Chrift,
ipA I ped^e k thus; r$ From the Fathers
Inaugurating him .in his Kingly Office, Pfal.
II. 6. I ■: Holy Hill
Zion. -Am j esing ^t Kkigs would he
ftill maljieg l \ inroads on the
Church Dominion of CH R I S T5 he adds,
1\qvj the) ifore be Wife^ Q ye KJngs, and juh-
mitt
jf 45 )
mH to the Son left ye Teri/b. Eph. I. 22,
"The Lord hath pit all Things under his Feet,
end ghen him to he Head ouer all "Things to
the Church, id* From his retaining Power
in his own Hand, to fend his Ambaffadors to
Preach the Gofpel without being qualified by
Oaths from Men, or Prefentations from Pa-
trons, Mat. XXVIII 19. Go ye therefore and
Teach all Nations I fend you for all 'Power is
ghen me in Heoroen and Earth, 3. From his £.
renting a Throne of Judgment in his Church,
his Spiritual Jerufalem Pf. 122. The tribes
go up to the Name of the Lord, for there are
fit Thrones of Judgement^ euen the thrones of
Chrift the Antitype of King T)aryidy where
his Spiritual Kingdom is as in Dependant,
and free to meet, and Bifolve, and Ad, in
his Name, as any of the Subjects of any
Earthly Monarch, to meet in the Name of
their Lawfull King, and therefore, are faid
to meet together and Aft, in the Name
and Power of our Lord Jefus Chriil. 1
Cor. V. 4> And to defolve in the fame
Name in which they meet, except they meet
to make of his Authority, and chufe a new
King, 4„ From the Saints accepting him
to be alone King and Head of his Church
Ifa. XXXIII. 22: The; Lord, is our Judge,
the Lord is our Laugher, the Lord is our
King, he •iwllfo.re us. 5 . From the very light,
of Natutue that fhewes every one mould
tule his own Houff, and his own Kingdom,
Ahafuerus.'
( 46 )
Ahafiem, made a Decree that every Man,
Jhould bear Rule in his own Houfe, and a-
iiother Heathen King, Commanded fezra.
VII. 23. That every thing be done in the
fioufe of the GOD, of Heaven, according
to the mind of the GOD of Heaven, as
long a* it is fo, then the People of GOD
rejoyce when it is faid, go up to the Houfe
of GOD for there sre ict the Thrones of
Judgement even the, Thrones of the Houfe
of TJavid, for then is the Ark, the Glory
with them, but when Minifters yeild the
Goverment to Man, and take ■ Laws from
them befide, and Contrary to Chrifts Law,
and Goverment, then comes in the weary
I-chabod the Glory is Departed, for the
Goverment is out of the Hands pf Chrift£
Church which leads me to.
The 2. Thing that the Glory pf the Go-
verment of the Kirk, of Scotland is gone
and the Minifters of it Submit to, and take
Laws, from another airthe even from the
Parliament and Bilhops of England, in thing,
of Conscience, and purely Spiritual: I prove
thus whatsoever Church Submits to Spiritual
Lords, and takes Laws from them which
Chrift never gave to his Church in the
Bible y which is the Laws and Ads, of the
Court, of Heaven, and a Curfe pronounced
on thefc that add to, or take from thefe
Laws, the Glory of Goverment accord-
ing tp the Patern flicwed in the Mount, is
departed
( 47 5
departed from that Church, and an l->chabod;
may be Written upon the. Doors thereof
the Glory is Departed: But fo hath the
Church o£ Scotland done, and: Therefore the
Glory of the Church of Scotland $, Gover-
ment is gone, and an I-cbabod, may be Write
one the Kirk Doors of it
To clear this, Confider fir ft, that fpiritual
Lords, or Lord Biihops, is contrary to the Law
of Chillis Houle, which Law is recorded Mar.
XX . 25. The Trinces or Triejls of the Heathens
exercife dominion over them, but itjhall not be fo
among you. 2. That thefe 26 Spiritual domini-
ring Lords exercife Authority over the Church
of Scotland^ is evident from their own Acts,
fd that when they fend down their A'fts to the
Church of Scotland, to enter Miniilers^pray or.
fwear as they pleafe, which aire all matters of
Conference, belonging to the Hou fe of God,
they give it this Front-piece, "Be it enacted— ~ly
the Authority of 'the Lords fpiritual 3. Confider
that as they impofe, fothe Lavvs that ourMi-i
xufters obey coming from them, are befide and
contrary to the Laws of King Jefus : They
command Mifiifters to enter in, and climb up
to the Sheepfold, not as Chrift 'doth by himfelf,
and the Call of the People, but as Antichrifls
Cannon Law commands, by 2 prefentation
from a Patron, they command Minifters to be
qualified, by {landing before Juftices of Peace
and fwears fo many Oaths of their inventing,
when there is neither Command nor Example
the
( 48 ) , .,
In all the Book of God or the Law of King
JESUS, for doing fo, where did CHRIST or
nis Apoitles go for Prefentatidns to Patrons,
or (Und arid fwear fd many Oaths to the Ma-
gi [hat before they went to Preach the Gof-
pel. Yea, fuch Miniilers as do : fo, arid come
noc in at CHRISTS Door, CHRIST the '
King writes them down in the Book of his
Remembrance ; fuch a Man by Name and
Surname, entered to fuch a Paroch not by
the Door, and he points him out by the Fin-
ger, that Man is a Thief come in to Murder
my Sheep,, hold the Teief, hold the Thief,
confldering all this, Is hot the Glory of
C HKIS T's Kingly Government, Depart-
ed from the Church of Scotland? thus the
Government is from another King, than
King JESUS, other Laws impofed, under
other forts of Penalties, fuch as Fines, ImV
prifonment, Sec. Spiritual Government Spi-
ritual Punifliment, Temporal Government,
Temporal Puniiliment.
2. lam to prove, that the Glory of Right
Difcipline, is departed from the Church of
Scotland, which appeareth thus, Whatfoe-
ver Church, by their Difcipline encouraged!
Falfe Religion, and Dif courages the True
Pveligion; It may be written on the Doors of
that Kirk I~chabod, the Glory of that Church is
away: But fo doth the Church of Scotland,
therefore the Glory of the Right Difcipline
is away from her, which is Mkriifefl from
( 49 ) ,r
her own Practice, ihe doth net Profecute, hut
protect thefe of that Corrupt Religion, who
ule Human Inventions, and Popi/h, Effglifh.
Ceremonies in Wor&ip -, for Example, the
Elders of GUfgolsoy fejfit and protected, that
VileProphanc Ceremony-Mo tfgtr, who was
Tx)th an Ignoramus, a Drunkard ahtl Swear-
er, at his Worship, but have again and again
contrary to the prefent. Law of the King-
dom, Profecuted, Purfaed, and Imprifcncdy
thefe of the Reformed Religion; and thoJ
Minifters never Preach againft, Suiiimondi,
norExecmunicat fuchas are for Deformatiofi.
Yet, let but any Miniiter, or privat Chrifiianj
appear for Reformation, theri prefently they
Sumrhondthem, Excomunicat them bellow-!
ing out Curies lifce fd many Blathrie Fbpiili
Bulls againft them. .
3. The Right Doctrine of the Church c-f
Scotland isalfo away, there is an uncouth
Sound heard, now in Pulpits, contrary to
what was heard at the Reformation, and
that they are wrorig in their Doctrine I prove
this, Whatfocvcr Church is Partial In their;
Doctrine, and alfo applys the thrcatnings of
the Word againft the Godly , and the pro-
mifes thereof to Time-fervers, that Church
may hare Ichabod write upon it, the Glory
of Right Doctrine is departed from it • But
fodoth the Church of Scotland: Therefore,
:hc Glory of Right Doctrine is departed from
it, and this is evident to their oun Con-
iciitt and to ahy that have the Ear of Chrift's
G Sheep,
( 5° )
Sheep, how partial they are in their Doclrine,
fparing tofpeak againft the Sins of Patrons,and
great Ones, or the Sins oftheprefent Times, |
thcyordinarly Preach againft the Sms of oldl
Falfe Teachers, and Church Defrayers, and
dead Ifradites, applying over the Water to!
yerufaleM, but fpare to Preach againft their
own Sins, making Ac/rs of Affemblies not to
Preach or Writ againft themfelves, or one:
another. Their way of Preaching in invigh-
ing againft old Sins and not prefent Sins,
minds me of Satan's Preaching to Saul, he
reaped up his old Sins, for not rooting out
of Amoltck, and concealed his prefent Sin,-
never a word againft his confuting a Witch
to raife Samuely which indeed was the Devil,
not Samuel i Never a Word againft Patron-
ages, Oaths, and concealing of the Truth in
Time of Danger, yea they Preach on ! y fuch
Doctrine as will gain their Steepends, and
not any Thing that will endanger them •, and
wkt fad Wrath doth the LOKlD denounce
againft them that are partial in the Law,-»,
Mai. 2. — and what Heart-break is it to the'.
People of God, to hear them make theHearts
c"f the godly Sad, and rejoicing the Heart of,
Apoicatizers, falling under the Cuffe denounce
fed againft Falfe Teachers, who: promifej
Life to the Wicked, and keep them from Re- i
pentance ; and weakning the Hands of the';
G-odly, by threatning Death and Damnation!
a&ainiu them ;■ All this fays Irchebod is write
upoi> '
( 51 )
Upon the Kirk Doors of Scotland the Glo*
ry of pure Dodrine is departed from her.
4. That the Glory of pure Worftiip or
Prayers dited by the Spirit of GOD is de^
parted from the Church of Scotland may be
proven thus.
If the Church of Scotland be convinced
that Biihops are not Officers in the Houfe of
GOD, and have abjured them, and that
we mull Pray as we are affiftcd by the Spirit,
and not by a fet Form of Words prefenbed by
Biihops, and yet, contrary to the Word of
GOD, Pray overthefe exprefs Words that
the Biihops prefcribes, and contrary to their
Profeffion and Solemn Vows to the contrary;
then the Glory is departed from the Church of
Scotland : But the one is true : Therefore fo is
the other, it is not the Thing that we con-
demn, but the Manner of doing it , for we
as well as they, pray for King GEORGE,
and all in Authority, becaufefo commanded
by the Spirit of God, but to be bound to do
it like fo many Godlcfs Slaves and Idiots that
knows not their Duty, and that under Penak
ty, at the Command of Englifk? Prelats with*
put Power to alter a Word, more than a Boy
at the School for fear of the Taws, this gives
the Offence : Yea, we will Pray for the King
and all in Authority, tho' the Biihops of
Erghnd fliould impofe as much Penalty
for io doing, as they do now for negled of
doing io \ ' Yeav how many Prayers do they
G 2 dayly-
I
dayly put up, for maintaining the Ttelatick
abjured Government. And for the over-
throw of thefe of the Reformed Religion a*
"Scotland, every Body knows that has under-
handing to difcern this, fays the Glory of
pure Woriliip is departed from the Kirk of
Scotland : The coniideration whereof, might
make this Place a Bochim, a Place of Weeper?,
and we to lift up that dolefull Cry, Pfal.
780 61 . He hath delivered his Strength his Ark,in~
to Captivity, and left hi s Glory in the Hand of
}he Enemy, zvAlchahod the Glory is departed
from Scotland, for the Ark of God is gone,
Right; Government, Difcipline, Doctrine,
Worfliip, and the fwtQt Prefence of Chrift
and all is gone together.
; Thirdly, I am to prove, that fincetheArk^.
the Right, Government, Difcipline, Doct-
rine, and Worihip of the Church of Scotland
is away, that the Glory is away, and it will
appear if we confider. 1. That it was once
the Glory of the Church ' of Scotland to be
In Covenant with GOD, as ' Ifrael, "Ezec.
XVL 8, »— 14.1 talked into Covenant with'
the}, and thou he cam eft -mine, then thy Renoun
^ent forth aikomff the Heathen for thy "Beauty,
for it was perfect ihrough the ccmlinefs that'I
pa vponj-het, then we were like thkt Church,
GatLt. VI. xo: Looking forth as the Morning,
Fair as the Moon, Clraras the Sun, Terrible
as an Army with "Banners.' In thefe' Days
-rein GOD and ' Scotland entree! into Co-
venant
( 53 )
Tenant, and they promifed to keep the Right
Doclrine^ Difcipline, Worfliip and Govern-
ment, of his Houfe, then we were the Head,
and not the Tail •, and a Glory and Terrour
to the Nations round about us, as every one
knows that have read the Hiftory of the
Majeftick Ads of the Church of Scotland,
in thefe Glorious Days of Covenanting, and
Reformation, nothing was able to ftarid be-
fore her, but alas! it is with her now
as Ezekiel XVI. 15. "Bat thou trujled in
thy iSe'tuty and went and played the Harlot :
Hath not our Church broken her Covenant
with GOD, wherein flic abjured "Popery and
Trelacy, &c and played the Harlot with
Trelacy, and given apromife with an Oath,
for the Defence of that Government, which
is a fign there is a Purpofe of Marriage be-
twixc her and them, and is fhe not now be-
come the 1 ail and not the Head; Handing
before civil Courts, fwearing Oaths, like a
fufpected Malefactor, fo that Scripture is
fulfilled of her, the Prophet that Teacheth
• Lies, he is the Tail, I—chabod the Glory is
departed from Scotland.
2. It was once the Glory, of the Church
of Scotland, to have GOD's Powerful pro-
tection with her evidenced by the Protecti-
on of the civel Magiflrqts, Z$c. II. 5. For 1
jaith the Lord will be a Wall of Fire, Round
about the and the Glory in the Midft of thee.
and Kings ihall be thy Nurfing Fathers :
But now the Lord hath taken away the
Wall
( 54 )
Wall of Divine Prote&ion, as is evident by
the civell Magiftrats Difcharging any to
compel 1, any Criminal to obey this Church,
this fays the Glory is, Departed from the
Church of Scotland.
3. It was once the Glory of the Church
of Scotland, that the Mimjlers thereof were
Men of truth ; and Credit, that both Mar z
gtftrats and People, would have belived
their Word and, Doctrine but now it is
come to that with it that the Magiftrats will
not belivc tkere word, the*' they add to it
Prayers for Rulers, but they moft have their
Oath, and yet will not credit them, but every
other turn, moft impofe three Oaths upon
them at once, Sc as for many of their own
hearers they neither belive whatthey fay either
in the Pulpit or out of the Pulpit and Menof
other Principals admires at, and Loathes them
as a pack of Juglars, Mountabanks, any
things, or nothings, untrue to their Prin-
cipals, fad experience evidenceth this, which
Says the Glory is Departed from the Church
of. Scotland, the Glory of Truth and Faith-
fulnefs,
4. It was once the Glory, of the Church
of Scotland, without fead or favour to De- I
clare the Whole Counfel of GOD, before
Kings and Rulers and to have the Tongues .
and Pens of the Godly, and Suffering Rem-
nant imployedin their defence,and Commen-
dation, but now the Watch Towers fmg all
D uml^
( 55 )
Dumb, no Man of Diitinftion muft be offen-
ded, and how are now the Tongues and Pens
of the Godly Suffering Partie let loofe upon
them, and hath fet them on Fire round about,
yet they lay it not to Heart, that Word js
verified of them, Mai. 2. lOt haw "violated
the Covenant of Levi, and been partial in my
Law, therefore I have made you *Bafe and Con-
temptible, in the ILyes of all the "People •, and it
will avail them nothfiing tho' they ihould
get the Mouths and Pens of the honefi Parry-
in Scotland ftoped, for if thefe fiioukl hold
their Peace the very Stones ihould cry agkmft
them,- before the Lord leave himfelf with-
out a Witnefs, it were endlefs to enumerat
in how many particulars the Glory is TJepdj U
ed from the Church of Scotland, O that what
hath been, not only f aid, but found to fad
Experiencc?may make them enquir what have
we done, is there not a Caufe that the Glo-
ry is "Departed from the Church of Scoth-d7
and an I-cbabod write on Kirk-Doors, Pu] pi isl-
and Fore-Heads of Minifters; the Ark of
GOD is taken, the Right Government,
Doctrine, Difcipline and Wbrfliip is gone,
and the Glorious Converting and Comfort^
ing Prefence of GOD and altogether. *
SERMON,
SERMON. II. '
Tv II H Second Thing is to flicw what
Refemblance there is betwixt the Ark
of GOD, and the Right, Doctrine,
Difcipline, Wormip and Government, of
the Houic of G O D, which being difcovcr-
ed, will make it evident even to a D*mori-
ilration, that fince ( aswe proved alreadiej that
the Bright, Doctrine, Difcipline, Worihip and
Government of the Houfe of GOD being
away, we have as great Reafon to lament
■ih^ Loft of thefe, as Ifrael had to lament
the Lois of the Ark with an I-cbabod, the
Glory is Tkpttrted from Scotland, the Ark
of GOD is taken, and the Refemblance
holds in thefe Things, i. As the Ark was
no Humane Invention, but of the LORD'S,
own Devifing and Appointment, Exod.
XXV. 9. fo all the Ordinances and Inftituti-
6ns of the Houfe of G O D, none miift be -
of Man's Devifing or Impofing, Mat. XXV.
9 For this would be to Worjbip GOT) in
Vain, teaching for T)oftrine the Commandments
efMen, and a' bringing aCurfe on thefe In-
. venters
( & ) ..■.:■. :
renters and Impofers, Receivers and Practi-
zers. i^i;. XXII. 17, 18. but allmuftbe ac«
cording to the will and command of the great
Lord of the Houfe, it was excellent Divi-
nity of that Heathen King,' Ezra VII. 23.'
J can command Enemies not to trouble or
hinder the Building of the Houfe of God-
I can alfo command that the Houfeof God be
Built in his Place,but one thing I dare not do, I
dare not impofe, what fcrt of Doctrine, Di-
scipline, Woriliip, or Government fliall be
there, but whatever is of Divine Appointment,^
I back it with the civil Power, let all things'
be done in the Houfe of the GOD o£j
Heaven, according to the Mind of the GOD
of Heaven ; fo our Lord himfelf Matthew.
XX VIII Ult. Sending forth his Apoftles to fet
■op a ftabliflied Order, through all the World,'
anent* the Dodrine, Difcipline, Worfhip,,
and Government of his Houfe, gives this
Direction, teaching them to obferve all things'
whatfoe ver I command you, and lo I am with',
you, but if you make ekings or parings, or
bring in Humane Invention in my Houfe, yoif
foave no promiie of my Prefente, but ihall
find the Glory fliall depart from you/ and I
will caft the Difng of your Sacrifices in your
polluted Faces, with a who hath required
thefe things at your Hands, the Ark was of
G O D's own appointment fo are all his In-
ftitutiosis,
0 2. At
( 5» )
5. A% the Ark was align of God's Pretence
among his People fo long as it was with them*
Ex, XXV. 22. twill wet them from the Mercy
Seat, and ^Commune with them from between
the 'Cherubim that covereth the Ark, for he
Swelleth between the Cherubim si So the Pre-
fence of CHRIST, and the pure Inftituti-
ons, have as infeperable Connection betwixt
them, as betwixt it and the Ark, or betwixt
the Wheels and the living Creatures. Ezek.
I. io. 1/1 fe went the Wheels went, and
when thefe flood the Wheels food by them* and
\n the thing Creatures were lifted up from
the Earth, the Wheels were lifted uy with
them, bm when the Doctrine, Difcipline,
i o vernment of G H R I S> rPs
Jjoftitutiongoes the Pretence of CHRIST
gaes with them, and whe n Inftituti-
cnio comes in ihci^ Room, then the Lord fays,
Ezek. Till. 6. What Abominations are thefe
■that are } tted here, to make me go far away
fiom my Si , and then the godly La-
ment With this bitter Lamentation Lchabod
the Glory of the Church is departed.
3. As where the Ark was, there it was
iawfull to Sacrifice to G O D, and no where
•9 TteuE-.XKV. I5> 14. take heed that thoui
offer riot Burnt-Offerings in every Place thou
feci^ but in ihQ Place which I ihall choife,
%Mt is the Place where I ihall place mine
1, 10 it is lawfull to woriliip GOD no
.re, bat where the1 right Dodriiie, Di-
fcipline,
C 59 )
fcipline, Worihip, ana Government, of his
own Inftitutions are, we mull not joyn with
every one in Worihip, but with th^fe that
keep clofs to CHRIST'S Kftitiutibns, for
Union in Sinful Worihip is confpiracyagairift
CHK.IST, Jrchabod the Glory is away,
for now we have many Humane in-
ventions and Impoiitions, in ftead of Divine
Inftitutions.
4. As where the Ark was, there and no
where clfe was the Pot witk the Matin*,
the food on which Ifrael lived all the Time of
their Travels in the Wlldernefs, fo where
the pure Inftitutions of CHRIST are,
and no where elfe, is CHRIST the Spi-
ritual Manna to be enjoyed, whois the Life,
Nourilhment, Support, and Comfort of his
People, all the Time of their Pilgrimage in
the Wildernefs, on the Strength whereof
they go to theHeavenly Cancan, and therefore
it is faid, he fatisfieth the Longing Soul, and
filleth the Hungry with good Things, and
Pfal. 36. 8. They /hall be abundantly Satisfied
isoith the Fatnefs of thy Houfe. But alas! when
his Holy Inftitutions, are away & Human
Impofitions Dimonitions are " Additions
come in, then Perfons feed upon Poy-
fon, fwell in Pride, and grows mad with Ma-*
lice, and burning heat of envy, no grouth in
Grace, but a Soul-leannefs, and pining a-
way in Iniquity, ripining for a death in Sin,
and a Burial in Tojpbet, I-chahod then theGlo-
sy is departed. 5. As,
( 6o )
5. As where the Ark, of GOD was,
there was the Two Tables of the Law,
keeped piire without addition, or diminition,
ib where CH&lST's Inftitutions are Hitman
Inventions or Impofitiqn? gets 110 Place
■Deut. IV. 2. Thou ftiali not add to
the word that I Command thee, neither dir
miniili ought from it, where hjs Inftitutions
are ib kept pure CHRIST typified by
fhe Ark, well f uliill for us the Law, and
free us from the Curfe of it but where his
Inftitutions are corrupt by Mens Impofitions,
there CHRIST Will neither fulfill the
Law for them, nor have any thing to do
with them, but bring all the Curfes of a
violated Covenant on the Head of the vi-
plater? ; thereof. Rev. XXlh 18, 19. For
I Teitifv, to every Man, that ihall add to
this Word, GOD fliall add to him all the
Plagues that arc Written in this Book, and
if any Man ihall take away from the Words
of this Book, GOD ihall take away his
part out of the Bock of Life, and out of
the Holy City, and from the things t
are Written in this Book, when we fee al-
terations made or* G;OD%, Inftitutions by
Human "Impoiitions we may Lament, the
Glory js Departedl, for the LORD'S In-
feitutiqns are altered,
: 6. As where the Ark, was there was a
Crown of GcJi round about it. Ex. XXV
jr. Thou ilia]! make upon it a Crown of
Gold, found about, to {hcvf the Majefiy
i 61 )
and Dominion of King JESUS, in hi*
Church, fo where the ordinances of Chrift'i
Inftitutions^ are kept pure, there Reigns the
LORD JiiSUS with an awfiiU Majefty in
the Church : There are the Thrones of
Judgement, the greatcft Peer in the Land,
moftKifs, and Submit to the Son, Tf 2. who
then dare medle with his Miniflers, when
thisan awfull Majefiick Prohibition, touch
not' mine Anointed, and do my Prophets
no harm ; then Kings tremble and ftand in
aw to meddle with the Church of GOD,
Tf 48 % 3. Beatiitful for Situation, the
joy of the whole Earth is Mount Zion,
GOD is known in her Palaces for a re-
fuge, the Kings that were gathered togeth-
er faw it, they Marvelled, Sc were troubled
and haftned away : Then there is great
Joy in the Church of GOD, Tf 149. 2.
all the Children of Zion are Joyfull in their
King? Hofis, & Gloreth in him, Ifa. XXXIII
22, The LORD is our Judge the Lord is
our King he will fave us, but when thefe Invi-
tations are away, CHRIST with his Glo-
rious Kingly Power, departeth, and then the
PoorShcp wanting the Sheepherd are Deflroy-
ed, and now Zion fpreadeth forth her Hands,
and there is none to Comfort her, Lamen-
ting I-chabod . the Glory is departed, the
pure Inftitutions of CHRIST "our King
himfeif, and all are gone and we are a pack
of Hearties Handle* Slaves now that can-
no
C 62 )
Act our own Part.
7. Aj> where the Ark of GOD was, there
was a Sign of GOD in Covenant with
fhat People, and therefore it is called, in
j\ m. X- 33. The Ark of the Covenant,
of the Teftimony, fo where the pure
ordinances of CHRIST are, and are keept
puie$ there a People may warrantably claim
a Covenant intereitin GOD, and expect Co-
venant Bleflmg from .him, hut where his In-
stitutions are corrupt by Mens impositions
that is a Sure evidence the People have
broke their Covenant with GOD, and he
faying he will break with us, and having
to the Covenant, the Lord takes away
thctoKensof his Covenant which may make us
lent, with a bitter Lamentation the Glory
is departed, for the Ark of GOD is taken
8. As wherever the Ark came, then down
comes Z)agon, 1 Sam. V. 1. 2. 3. 4. They
let the Ark of GOD in the Hcufe of Dagon
&t Dagon fell, & Limbs and Head and Arms
all are broken off and nothing is left to
©agon but his flumps and when the Ark
of GOTj went out of the Houfc of Z)agon
then Z)aG:on is fet up again, fo wherever
CHFvISTS pure Institutions, OodrineZ)if-
cipline, Worihip, and Government comes
the Z)agon trafh of Popery and Prelacy
fall down, then up goes Popery and Prela-
cy and all Human inventions in the' Houfe
or GOZ) : But when the pure Inftitutions
of
( <$3 5
rf CHRIST gees away, the Tirfi thir^g
then to be done is up with Old 2)ago$
Popery and Prelacy again, and all the
Country is deafned ; and wearyed even to
Loathing with the Noiie, and running tor
and fro of the. bucklers up of T)agon, one
Comes Running with the .A-itichiiitian-like
face of him, week me failh he, i have id
my Pocket a preientatien, I was at the
Gentle-Man and Received it juft iibw, and
I am like to bruit with Heat leafr, I had
not win in Time with it to the Reverend pro
bytry ! make me a Work-Man in
oiT)agw&t this Popifh plailer will u:l
one ofDtgons broken Limbs ': Then comes in
another in great hail, Saying I have two
or three Oaths hot and Reekifig for I was
Juii now at may LordSherif, at Mr. W
Jon, my Lord's Chamberland, for he was
an Old Sojourner, but now he is grown a
Jufiice of Peace, make me a Work- Man
in the Houfe of 2) agon, and thefe three
Oaths will be a brave Plaifter to herd -
broken guordids oiT)agon, and what furthet
coaft is to be wared on T)agon, the Pal:
will give us Money to bear the Charges]
tho we ihould travel for a cure to h
even up to Rome, to the Holy Father
'Pope, for he is a perfect Phyfician for heal
ing the T)agon Z/efeafe, for the Patron
is able now, he hath got all the Church
Patrimony, & Chrifl's Crown rent among hi3
Hands, and he fays he will ipend it on
( H )
tEhgpny ev*ry plack,beforc he be not as heal
of Limb and Lith as eycr he was, before
he plaid claih before the Ark of God,
then comes forth a Ghoftly black Regiment
of them crying good news ! we a company
of Phylicians have becnconfulting, Sciitten 8.
Days, and we have taken, up 'Dagon's dif-
eafe, and knows what will Cure him Effectu-
ally, and that is ; i. Let moe Phyficians
than one be improved at once, about his
Cure, and let the Meetings to Cure Uagon
get another Name, left the Oountrey People
ihould bogle at them, call them not meet-
ings of T^agon's Phyficians, . but call them
Sacraments, arid let both.Jurant and Non-
Jura nt be there, and that Union will cfc&u^
ally heal the broken Craig of TJxgon^ and
Souder his Head to his Craig again, for it
would cliftrefsa whole hoft of Philifti&ns to
fee TDagon dung all in pieces, like ane old
broken Pig j and nothing left to T>agon but
his Stumps; And let none Preach or .Write
againtt anothers Skill, for that would be when
our Brother had foudered a broken Limb or
Lith to T>agon, another Bee-headed Brother
to come and ding it of! with a pelt again,
even when T>agonys Joints are feeble, green
and but beginning to knit, and a defpifirjg of
the mo ft aged, grave, and learned Brethren,
that have better Skill in curing the T>agon
difeafc then raih unconfiderat, unlearned,
young- Green-horns, thus all come running,
he
C 65 1
lie with the Head, he with the Stumps, others
with the broken Legs arid Lunibs of T)agoti\
others with Twenty Evgtijlo Romijh Plaiiters;
heat and reaking and Soudering all up again:
Another Committee of T>agon Phyfickns,'
rejoicing to fee him up again, are inted
to ilt and propefe Overtures to the Reverend
Affembly of Dagon Phyflcians* how to keep
T>iigon up when he is clatched together and
the firft Overture they have fallen upon is, as
foonas they can have away the Ark of God
out of the Honfe, and let Tjagon have all
the Room alone, he dow rot abide that, one
waff of the Ark of GOD in the Hoiiie,"
will make T)agon come down with a elafll
and fall all in Shells Again, away witli
CHRIST'S Invitations. The Second 01
verlure they give in, is hold lUagon's Doer
fair, that none of the Minifters that carry 1 -
Ark win in to TJagon-i Honfe, iknt them out,
and when they are our bolt_the_ Door after
them, with the great Draw -.Bar of Excbm
nication, A 'Third Overture^ thrs Commit*
tee of TJagon Phyficians bring in, is devife
Devices, fpread Lyes and Reproaches, 011
the Minifters that carry the Ark ot GO D,"
call them as our Predeceffors did, Devils,
Drunkards, Church-Renters, Intruders oh;
the Miniftry, and this will raife fo ith. a loath-
ing at theni amongft well meaning- People,
that they dare not Travel through the Count/
ry, none will give them a Nights Quarter-
end they will foon be Starved out of the \
Nation. 4. A Fourth Overture, they bring |
in is, make the Country People believe, that
.$11 the Platters ye made for Dagon.&st all
for. the good of the Ark, and trie Detrac-
tion of Dagon* for were not that we took-
theie Oaths, and behaved fo Wifely. *Pre*
ibytry had been quit gone, but thefe Oaths
arc Hedges about the Church, and now they
think they are fure buckled 5 but too fall
too loofe. Is there any Counfel or Device
agamic the Lord, cD?,gon will down when ye
are Sleeping, if ye fivould hold ail your
Hands about him, Ifa. 8. o.- 10. Gird your
gives and you (hail he . broken to pieces, tike
Counjei together aftd it Jhali come to nought;
('peak the 'Word and it Jhali not he done, for
GOT) is pith us'r For the LORD hath W
.(hudedus, not to fay a Confederacy with
you, nor to fear your Fear, but alas ! wheir
we fee fuch Work in the Houfe of Dagon,
we may Lament 1-chabod the Glory is 'De-
parted from the Chmcb of Scdth&d, {or Da-.
i/o,! isrickled up again, and the Ark of God
is taken.
o. As where the Ark was, there was' the
Glory, and when it- was away, there was
Jjj] grace &pd Infamy; fo where the pure
Dodrine, Difnpline, WorAip and Govern-
ment of Divine Institutions are, there the
£ls.ce of G O Ds Reft is Glorious,
irnd that Prom lie is fulfilled; X wlP
make
J 6J )
make the Tlace pf my Reft, Glorious, but when
thefe are away, then Ignominy and Difgracfe
folic we th; What difgraceis it to the ^ut,
to the Seven Churches of <Afiar to the Church
of Rome and of Scotland? who were a]l
once Glorious Churches, we may add the
Churches of France, Ireland, and others,
when the pure Divine Inftitntic is are in a
Land, Glory dwells in that Land, but wjien
away, nothing but Sorrow Ignominy and
Difgrace, the Glory is "Departed from Ifrael
for the Ark of God is taken : Thus I have
ihewed you in thefe Nine Particulars, that
what the Aik was to Ifrael, the fame the
uncorrupt Institutions of CHRIST are to
us, fo when thefe are away we have as great
Caufe to lament, as Ifrael when the Ark was
away, the Glory is Departed.
'thirdly, I am to ihew you, what are thefe
Sins we are this Day to Mourn for, as fo ma-
ny crafts of the Ark of God's being takes,
and the Removal of the right Doctrine,
Discipline, Worfhip and. Government of the
Houfe of GOD; and befides, what thefe
Sins are, which we read as Caufes of this
Days Repentance, and Humiliation, lihall
now name fome Sins of all Ranks, for from
the Throne to the Dung hill, none of us can
caft a Stone at another, and fay, we are free..
from Sinning away the Ark of GOT), we may
fey with Nebewiah, Neb.JX. 34. We our
tvings, our Princes, ourPrieAt?, our Esther.
1 2 anc?
( 68 )
and all have Sinned, and have a facj
Hand in if.
i\ The Sins of Rulers are found in Scrip
ture to have a deep Hand in a Departing
Glory, and i/?, the Sin of tolerating Wick-
edneis, and not retraining Sin in their Sub-
jects, winch' was the very Caufe the Ark
of GOD was loft at this Time, i Sam. III.
ig. I mil J-udge the Hnufe of Eli for cvery
faith the Lard, becaufe his Sons made them-
J clues Tile, and he being the Chief Magiftrate
•re (trained them not, there fore'ln the follow-
ing Chapter lime I fails before the Enemy,
Eli's Sons are Slam, himfelf ' breaks his
Neck, thz Ark of GOD is taken, the Wife
of 'VrAneas Dies, Lamenting the Glory is
departed from Jf'cA. for the Ark of GOD is
taken, and this hath been the Sin of many
jBritiJh, as well as Ifraditijh Kings. 2. Their
Sin of Breach of Covenant, this was the Sin
of 'KXwgZedekiah an IfraeUt/fh, and of many
Britijh Kings, as well as he, Ezec. XVII. 1 3,
..««.— -24. 25. him that hath Sworn Oaths, it
faMl be Vain Divination and Faiie Doc-
trine, to Matter him with Impunity, Thou
Frophane -and Wicked Prince of Ifwe%
whofe end is come, and whole Iniqnitie,
mull have an End, thus faith the Lord, Re-
move the Diadem, take away the Crown,
&nd I will Overturn, Overturn, Overturn.
5. Their ftrengthningthe Hands of Evildo-
er to ihed the" Blood of the People of God,
1 ■■' ■ ' ' s ' as
!
(• 69 )
as many Ttrityb as well as Ifmelitijh Kings
.-.have done, 2 Kings XXI. 14, 15, 16. Iui/2
forjake the Remnant of mine ' Inheritance he-
caufe King .Manaffeh hathfbed innocent "Blood
'very tnuch, and the "Blood of Ifaiah among
the reft-, much Saints Blood and Blood of
Faithfull Minifters of CHRIST hath been
flied by the Britijh Kings. 4. Their thruit-
ing in their own Inventions, and Idol a
trous, Sugerftitions, in the Houfe of GOD,
the Sin of many Britijh as well as TjrdeU
iiijh Kings. 2 Kings XVI. 10. A.nd King
Ahas \fent to Urijah the Triefiy theTatron of the
Heathen AitaY of Damafcus, to Jet it up in the
Houfe of the Lord, befides the Lord's Altar,
and let them Worfliip God, becaufe the Lord
bids them, and alfo Heathen Idols, becanfe
the King bids them, what Humane Inventi-
ons have been fet up> and Sworn to, by Britijh
Kings, that may make ns cry with a bitter
cry, the Glory is "Departed from Scotland for
the Ark of God is taken, and thefe Abomi-
nations makes the Lord depart far away from
his Sanctuary,
2. The Sin of Minifters, and thus as well
Bati/hzs Ifaelitrjh, what Tajifi or Trela-
tick King i* ever fentusthe Patron of their
Altars : But it was readily received by ma-
ny Minifters, and fet up in the Houfe of God,
as Al^x, 2 Kings. XVIII. 10, it. no foon-
erfent the Patron of the Heathen Altar, but
Vrijah the Prieft, made it readv, and let it
up
( 70 )
w coking befide the Altar of God in his own
Temple, and then he was fure the King
would not be angry at him, he was a brave
loyal Subjecl, doing his Duty, obeying the
Stream Majorat, an Aha'z "King never yet
wanted an Urijah Prieft. 2. Breach of the
jMinifterial Covenant, which is to be faith-
full to God and Man, to cry aloud and not
{pare, and fiiew People their Sin, fo that it
maybefaid of them, Mai. II. 8, 9. You are
'Partial in my Law, and have corrupted the
Covenant of Levi, therefore the Lord hath made
: bkfi .-; and contemptible in the Eyes of
their c\-:h Hearer?, who wiih to have a change
of them. 3. Their handling the Word of
the Lord Deceitfully, applying the Promifcs
to the Wicked, and the Threatning againft
the Godly, Ezech. XlIL 22. Hecaufe mib
your lyes you hare made the Hearts of the
RtgJjteous fad, whom I have not made fad,
flrengfhned the Hands of the Wicked
that they jhould not turn from their -racked way,
therefore I will deliver my Flock out of your
Rands, Lam. II. 13. Thy breach is. wide like
the Sea, who c&n heal i\ 'what's the. Keafon (
thy Prophets have feen vain and F00M1
things for thee, they have not discovered
thine Iniquity to turn away thy Captivity,
they have leen for thee, vain burdens and
Caiifes of Banifliment. 4. Endeavpuring
to ftirr up the Magistrate againft their God,
John XIX. 12. Jf tJm let thil Man go thej
art
{ 71 }
pre ndt Ccfdfs friend \ the Sin of Brifiih as
Well as liraclitifli Minifters, fcr which we
may take "up this Lametation the Giorv is
departed from Scotland for the Ark of God
is taken.
' Thirdly, the Sins- of the People ifu In
their Joynirg with Magiitrats, aAdMinifters
in their Sin and Corruption,' of GOD's
Wor/hip, and this. is the Sin of the Jbritifli
as well as the Ifraelitifli People, Mic. VI
16. For the Statutes qfOmrie are kejt^and
the Judgements of the llovfe oj Achah, flat
1 Jhould make you a defolaUon^ and aribt/Jing,
therefore ye Jrnll bear the Refroch of my
T'eople, That have Sinned away the Giory,^
Hof. V 11. Ephraimis tifprtficd and i
en in 'Judgement \ hecasfe he toitlwgty *voalh-
cd after toe commands of Jeroboam, who
reside Jjh.el to Sin, and "it "is told us by
our Lord, Mar, XV 14 If the "Blind lead
ilk Hind both fall in the Tji.e$, If the
ignorant Prophet put Foyfonous £ cards
of a wild Vine in the pot, all" that eat or the
Pottage are Poyfoned as well as himielf. 2.-
The Prophonity, Hypocriiy, and Indifer-
ancy among them' in GOD's Matters. 3.
Their Refilling inflru&ion frofti tfekhfu]
Minifters/ Pro. V if. 12. They /hall Mcttn
at lafry when their Flefh and Tjody is coi
ed, faying how haie I dif fifed Rei;oof] a,.d
not inclined mine Ear to the %oke of them?
that hftrucled me. 4. Abufmg. faithful Mini-"
fiers"
r ¥ )
ftefs, 2 Chro. XXXVI 15. 16. "But they
mocked his Mefenger s defpifed his Words &
mifufed his Trophetsy until the Wrath of the
JL 0 RT> arofe againft themy and th'er't -was
no Remedy. 5. Making Religion life the
Schools of jdrifiot'te XSX&BX or Carthefius where
all things are difputed, and Univerfal du ro-
tations held to be right, that Men difput every
thing, and are fare of nothing, what a Num-
bet of Quibbles, and heart Irritating de De-
ars Rather then fcudying the love 01 Chrift
and frieridlhip among our felves, and con-
verting power of Godlinefs, thinking it en-
ought to debeat about it, that our Fathers
Covenanted with GOD, and fullered the
lofsof ail rather then break it, thinking this
will take them to Heaven, tho' they do not
fo themfelves. and without the power of
practical Godlinefs, others, quibling whether
thefe new Innovations from England be
right or nc", that is needieis fince our Old
Reformers knew nothing of them, and fince
there is neither command nor Example -for
them,, in the heal Word of GOD, what
have we to do with them ? Or thefe that
rents the Church of God either,a]l Ranks itand
ing guilty before God of thefe &C many other
Sins, is the ground of Lamentation, our Ark,
the- pure dodrin, diiciplme,woriliipand gover-
nment of our Church is away, and there will
be news of k, many fad days and many in
their
( 73 )
iheir Graves and the young Generation!
Poyfoned, with p at holines, & brougb*
up in ignorance ere the Ark of GOD come
back again. .
>£.ppL feeing it ii fo that it is the Sins
of R-ulers Minifter arid People, that have
provoked the LORD to, takeaway theAik
then let all repent and turn from their Ini-
quity, that the Lord may fend back
his Ark, the Glory of "Bnttain, that Glory
may yet dwell in our Land, alas ! many
ftupied Creatures are Glad that the Ark
bf God is away, especially thefe that have
the Chief provoking Hand in its departure."
The ftupied yews was Glad when they got"
Chrift in the Grave, the Idolatrous antichri-
ftans were Glad when they got the two'
witneffefs killed, becaufe there Preaching
Was a Torment to them, and the debauch-
ed Covenant abjuers Jblafpmers of the.
Holy name of God, adulterers and Forni-
cators Stc. Arc Glad now that Church
jpower is away, and that right Doctrine,,
Difcipline and Goverment is away, they.
think they may live as they lift, now, but
they may rejoice at Leifure for the remov-
al of the Ark is the fuliiling of one of the
moft dreadful threatnings in all the Book
of God ; Hof . IV 14. I will not punifh your
^Daughters when they commilt Fornication^.
'nor your Spoufes when they commit .Adtdtory
Let Hell pay the fair of all, for I dif-_
¥L om
( 74 )
Dun yen for Children, and therefore will not
ton eel, but take away the Rod of Church.
Goverment ana Difcipluie, Jet all that
Love Chrifl and the Salvation of Souls turn
their joy into heavinefs, and ery fo* the
fulfilling of that promife Zech, XII ir.
there Jbail he a great -Mourning in 4ht Land
like the M&urnitig of Hadad rimmon in the
of Ltii} of the MinifterSi and the Common*
jor the loft of the Ark, the pure ordinances
and inftitutions of the Houfe of GOT). As
thefe Mourned lor the lofs of holy " Refor-
ming King Jollah, much more canfe have
we to mourn for the lofs of Glorious faving
King JESUS, and his Ark the Glory, and
curled"' be that Man that mocketh God, con-
ing thefe Sins, and does not foriake N
them, and bleffed is that Man that dortfeffefh
and loriaketh his' Sins he iliall find mercy,
let us all do as theie that confeifed their Sin, in
-Marrying ftrang Wives, Ez. X. 3. They
made a Covenant to put them away Ezcfc
XVIII.' 30. He that repenietb and tv.rneth' .
from all his abominations. Iniquity Jhdl not
-he his ruin.
2 Is the Ark our Glory, the pure infti-
tntions of thc^ Ho.iic of God gone, 1 ;'e
that exhortation Joel I 8. Lament like
a xirgin. girded ixith Sach:loatl\for the Hus-
■ hand of her Touth, 1. Over the Nation, 2.
over the Church 01 Scotland, 1. Lament
ove
over Scotland* why? There is an I-chabod
written upon it as it is a Nation, aud
here we may ufe the words of the lam
ting Prophet, Lam. I i. Hot*) doth the.
City fit jblitary that was, full of Teople hoiti
is/be become as a ztidow, Jhe that -was
great among the Nations and her princes a-*
piong rue provinces, O Edinburgh the Royal
City, at the gates of which entered our
noble Kings Sitting on Thrones, the Prirv»
ces Sitting in Parliaments, maintaining the
Liberties and Priviledgcs, of this Ancient
and Indcpendant Kingdom, O Scotland which
in ancient Ke forming Covenanting clays,
was a praife in the whole Earth, a Glory
in all Lands making the Nations about t.Le
to trembler, how art thou now Sitting like
a Widow Girded in Sackcloath, bewailing
thy felf, or Sitting like a Silly Slave,
waiting with trembling what new cedes,
new Prefies, new coined Conference waft-
ing, heart confounding Oaths fiiall come
down to thee next from England, that thou
may fpeedily do bidding, left it be worfe
for the, Read Jer.ll 17. And fee the canfe
of all this, its not we need to repine againft
England, or fo much againft the Surrender-
ee of our Noble ancient Priviledges/ as a-
gainft our felves, its for our Iniquities we
have fold our felves, thy own wickednefs
hath corre/ted thee thy own badciliding
ha-h reproved thee, know therefore and
K 2 fee
( 7^ )
fee that it is an evill thing, and bitter that
thou haft forfaken the Lord they God, and
that his fear hath not been in thee, for as
we would not maintain Chrifts Royal Pre-
rogatives, as only King and Head of his
Church, therefore he hath not maintained
pur foveraignity, as a free Nation, I thought
nothing of it faith the Lord that the Epif-
copal party of the Nation, fought to un-
king me from Age to age, {or that is
their known Principle, and as long as the
contending party held me their king, I
ftood by them, and maintained their Privi-
leges and Soveraignity of the Nation, but
when once the contenders for me former-
ly, begain to unking me alio, that's it I
cannot Endure, I fliall urination them that
unking me, and that defervedly we are
puniihed, lefs than our Iniquities deferve.
2. Lament like a Virgin Girded with
Sacixloath, for the Husband of her youth,
as thou art a Church, it is not with thee
new Poor Church of Scotland, as it was
with the once, in thy Longfyn bonnie Re-'
uing Covenanting days, when able pow-
erful Minifters brake through Holts of
rftiliflines, and plucked the Ark of God
put from among tfa Hands of the Mighty,
and fer it on its own baffes and when it
, .us there, they would have let their neck
jjo before rhey had J^t the Ark of God go,
mid tney have becked and beinged and
furrendered
( 77 )
furrendered the Ark of God to a Number
of outlandifh Prelates, they would have
been hanged firft. In thefe brave days of
faithful valient Minifters it was not," is
the Steepends in hazard, but is the Arkof God,
the Doctrine, Difcipline Worfliip and Go-
verment of God's Houfe, and the Souls of
his People in hazard, in thefe days the
Church of Scotland Looked forth as the
Morning, fair as the Moon, clear as the
Sun, terrible as an Army with Banners, alas
now how is the cafe altered with! a pack
ofSotiih covetous, unfaithful Infamous ipry,
have expofed the Ark of God to the Camp,
and it is fet up yonder in the Dagon Kouie
of Englifh Prelats, and Sixand Twenty Prc-
lats, have got the Goverment of the Church
of Scotland, who in reforming days promifed
to extirpat Prelacy, and is this the way this;
Covenanted Church is Ruled then all fear-
ers of God take up that Lamentation over
her, Lam. I 8. Scotland hath Greivoufty
Sinned, therefore is flie removed, all that
honoured her defpife her, becaufe they have
feen her nakednefs, yea flic Sigheth and
turneth backward, her jSlthisefs is in her
Skirts, therefore fee came down wonder-
fully, Our Bonny Jcrufalan is removed to
England for her Sin, O weary Days as
long as flie is there thefe that honoured
her, Defpife her, becaufe they have feen her
aaakednefs, her knavery and hypocrify,
* whicfc
f 73 )
which hath made her naked, to the Wrath
pi God, and the Eyes of the World, and the
Power of her Adverfaries, and therefore we
may Cry with a Lamentable and Bitter Cry,
1-cDabod the Ark is taken, the Glono-s
Doctrine, Diiciplinc, Worihip and Govern-
ment, of the Church is away.
3. h the Ark of GOD gone, then take
not Satisfaction in any thing elfe, while the
Ark the pure Inuitittions of CHRIST are
away, out of his Honfe, Jet not the Minifter
be fatisfied with his Stipends, nor the great
Men with their Rents,nor the Labourous Man
v/ixh his Mealing, nor the Merchant with
their Gain, tjiefe empty infigniiicant nnfatif-
ig Triffies wten the Ark of God the Glo-
ry is away, may we not now fay, it we were
Swine we ihouid fee fatisfied with the Mire,
and uveal of the World, if we were Oxen
we fliouldbe fatisfied with the i^odaer, if we
were Ravenous Beafts we fhould be fatisfied
with Carbn-, bpt iince we are Rational Men,
capable of the Enjoyment of God, nothing
canfatisne us, while we want an Ark, a God
& a Glory, the Curfe of God go down with the
ill win Riches, and Stipends, for which ma-
ny miferable Wretch, have fold the Ark,
GOD, Glory, and Altogether, and can be
fatisfied with thefc, and rever Lamenting af-
ter a departing Glory, this hone ft Woman had
gotOne : of the greareit Temporal Mercies,not
only a Child but a Man-Child, not only "a
Man-Child, bat one who bv his Birch was to,
be.
V \
(75 J
be a jyfeffenger of the Lord of I lofts, and
yet wonderfully difiatisrled with inch a Mer-
cy iiifted of the Ark, the Woman laid fear
not, thou haft Born a Man-Child, but
fhe anfwered not, neither regarded it; but nam-
ed the Child I-cbabod the Glory is departed
from Ijrael, for the Ark of GOD is taken,
aMan.Child ! O fad and weary Man-Child !
bearing the doleful marks, that JJraelonce had
a God, an Ark and a Glory, and now all
gone, and a Son in the room of all the Threes
O ! ill fill'd room ! what Creature is that ?
that can fill up the room of the Creator!
what Son is that? that can fill up the room of
a Saviour? what Man-Child is that, that
can fill up the room of the Divine Doctrine,
Difcipline, Woriliip and Government, of
the Houfe of God, and fupply the want
of a departed Glory, here is the" Man-Child,
but where is the God? and where is the Sa-
viour? and where is the Ark the Synit o] of his
Pretence t not to te found in all t\ e Coafts
6f Jfraell O weary Scotland \ what good
; can Relations. Riches, otf Peri firing Fkafures
do to thee, that haft loft a Nation, aChurch,
an Ark, a God, and a Glory ; I-cbabod this
may be written on all fuch Enjoyments, once
we had an Ark, a Nation, a Church a God,
and a Glory, which fweerned all other Loffes,
• Croffes and "Calamities to us, like the flick caft
in the bitter Waters, of Mar ah that rendrcd
them all iwcet, but now the loft of thefc
leaves
( 8o ) - :
leaves a bitter tange,on our fweeteft Enjoy-
ments, we cannot drihk of the S'an&uary-
Watersnow, they run Rank with Litter Gall,
and it's a fad fill a fill of Cinjickis Preach-
ings, fromGodlefs, Giorilefs, Arkkft Mini*
£{£{% who have finned away the Ark and tire
Glory, I-chabod the Glory is departed, the
Ark of God is takeii, and nothing cUc can
compence that lofs, or fill up the room
thereof, tho' thc:Prx>phane Godlefs Pricfts,
Hcpbni and Thzneha-S had furvived the Ark,
they would have been an heartlefs bargain
with all their Preaching, who had fent the
Ark, the Glory out of Ijrad, apply this
to our fad Day, go to Edinburgh, and there
fend oil" the Nation the Ark the Glory, and
then come home and Preach, O Infatuat
Preacher ! O bewitched Hearers !
4. Is the Ark, God, and the Glory gone,
then reft not on Pruitlefs Lamentations or
Idle wiflies ; O purine hard after God, the Ark
&nd the Glory, cry to him, Lord tho' thou go
out of Scotland, with the Ark and the Glo-
ry, yet that ftiall :not finder me and thee, if
there be a God &nd a Glory in Heaven and
Earth, lihall be at him; will I fit like a
Sot, and hear a £>ack of Men Havering and
Preaching, that have fent away the Ark, the
God and the Glory, no,0!j my Soul, pafsa-
way from them, and fee if you can find him
whom my Soulloveth; there and nowhere
clfe will I Worihip, but where the Ark the
F God
I St. )
God and tire Glory are. Cant. 3; 4. Thd*
lihouldleave all the Minifters in Scotland^
him will I not leave; KaL 63, 8. My Soul
folhwetb bard after thee^ I ihall follow; thee,
with Complaints,, Pfal. 22. 1, My God my
God why baft thou forfaktn me, 1 iL.sll holdl
Faiths grips as I follow: thee my God, my
God, I fhall follow thee with Arguments,
our Fathers hoped in thee and- thou helped
them, Lord, my Fathers GOli and nry
GOD be no worfe to me tazn^ to my
Fathers, I fh all follow thee with flie, Com-
rnendations of thee, hear me pr r (j hod
wilt, yet thou art Holy, I have alltheweitol
the harih Dealings I got from thee, fol
him Commending hini, and I iliail war
thee, for there is no fear, if the forfakiD;
not Mutual, a Flyer would haieai:roUo
if thou foriake not him he will not forfake
thee, he never forfakes them that truly feek-
him ; there's not an ever dyed fince GO 33
made the World, feeking GOD in the way
to Heaven, with this Written oh -their
Gr&ve-Stone, to difcourage thee, HERE,
3l3tes a. man that terish-.
Mt> with his soul, follow
1ng hard after god com*
tlaining, . "believing,,
argumenting and com-
mending him, sut thou
ART HOLT, no, no, and thou fliall
tot ly by the Way, more than the fed!
r i* )
them, O Righteous Man hold on this way, anaJ
God fend you good fpeed this Day inPeiiu-
ing after a departed Ark, a departed GOD
and a departed Glory; do as JJrrri did in
fucha Cafe, i Sam. 7. 2. Wferfc tfo ■*#-& 0/
God abode at Kirjath-jaram, fin it was i
it was Twenty Tears ail Ifrael lamer fed qfaf*
the Lord, While the Ark of God abides
long at England, the? it fliculd be Twenty
Years, twice told, Itt all Scotland Lament
after the Lord, cry Mightily to GOD afi
pmid Tfal CXXX1L 8. "O Lord God
Return, Return, Return, Return O Lord*
to thy Red, thou and the Ark of thy Strength
Return once again O Lord God of Scotland^
to thy own Scotland, fhy own Covenanted
Scotland, aadfulfill that pronyfe to this Ge*
neration tK\i from one Gfenefaticrft to
another, Men /hall lliew forth thy Mighty
Axis, Lord what ilia.11 this Generation have?
to tell of thy Mighty Afts? for thy Ark
and People, if thou bring it not back ill
our Age, let not there be iuch a fad blank-
in thy Book, as to leave out this Gene ra-
tion, and give them nothing of this to do.'
5* Artie; arife why lyeft thou on the
Groirad, sp and to Work, this Glorious-
Work to bring back our God, the Ark and
the Glory* O ! that God would fend a flrife'
fitfoughotrf the Land when the King of Glo-
ry h away with the Ark as was when King
ybaMd was away. 2 Sarn, XIX. 9. "there
f *3 )
©W a f -oughaut the whole Land, fay;:*
the Kv ^ fixed us out of we Hands of our , .-
pemes9 and now he iiYled out of the Land
for A'USslLOMy and why are we the
laftin bringing back the Ki:^ f Vv'hyihould
we abide wnh Abeatloet the Hie Prieftthat
keep? Alfalom\ Court, and revolted froin
the Antitype of Tjaxid, what hatn not T>a-
ltd, King JESUS never a Minitter to our*
him, hath not Jef us delivered us from Death,
Hell, and Sin, Heathenifm, Popery and
Prelacy ; and fliall we ly lrill faying if he be
away, let him come again when he pleafcs,
Its not the Fa&ion now to go for him, go
thy way gracelefs Soul, he will come back,
Whether thou fetch him or not, but thou may
take up that bitter Cry, Mai. III. 2. Its pro-
mifed the Lord whom ye feek fiiall fuddenly
come to his Temple, but the cry rifes then
among thefe that fought him not back, but
who may abide the the Day of his coming,,
and who can ftand when he appeareth, ma-
ny look up with a bold difdainful Counte-
nance now,pn thefe that are purfuing hard af«
ter him,and will not allow them Converfe,nor
anights quarters becaufethey call themChurch-
Ivenrers, that iliall look with pale Faces
and Trembling Joynts, at his back coming,
go thy way, is the bringing Chrift, the Ark,
and the Glory back a renting of thy Church,
what a Church is that? Would to God
Mai% that Church -had been rent from top to,
bouom
( H )
poiiom long Seven Years fince, that Kirk of 1
thhie is over long heal, that ftands in the way |
of the coming back of the Ark, our Godl
and i our Glory, do as David did when he
went to 'bring back the Ark, 2JSam.T VI. 2l
'e£.;id David and all Jfrael iijent to bring tip
the- Ark of "God; zvhofe name is called by the
rNa?ncojthe Lord of Hojts, that dvcdleth be-
pfoeen the Cherubims : But alas fay fome ! if
King, and Rulers, and Miniftcrs would go
v; ;li ns, we ;vonld go and bring back the Ark,
hut what can we do?'' *a number of poor Bo-
die" can we gt> alone ? ' and enter into a Co-
tenant to bring back the ; Ark, the Glory:
Anfwer firil, doit" thou nnderflannd what
thou faycftr\ dofc thou not fc'nOw? that tb:
make a Covenant to bring back the Ark, is
no more but to Covenant/ to keep by the
right 'DbQriie^ Woriliip and Government
of trVe ' Boiife of God, +'vhtther Minifters
and Maffiftrats do it or no. 20 Tell mc in
earneft Man, if other folk be content, to
■vyanta God, an Ark and a Glory, are yon con-'
tent to clofo too:* 3, Js it rictyourDuty fodo as
Jo/hud;Jqfh. XX1Y- Chuie ye to fervc
whom ye will, as ic ■? me and my Family we
will ierVe tb^ Lord/' What tho* the King
as once Hcmeft 'facrytd did takefuch arlege,
th'it'he be afraid to' bring back the Ark ;
& Sam! VI. 8'. 'David' was afraid, feeing a
crfrtfade on Uzza, and would not bring
the Ark to him' to the City of 'David, 'but
• - . whe»
( 85 )
when King and Prieits, and all kid by the
Work up Hands good Obed-Edom and takes
home the Ark of God for them all, and
what one Family did, may not a part of
feverai Shires do * What hinders thee to do
as Obed-Edom did? Art thou fear'd they
call thee an Edomite, If thou do fo, call thee
as they pleafe, if thou win as much by it as
Obed-Edom did, thou wilt not rue the Bargain;
the Ark remained in the Houfe of Obcd-Eclo;;j9
and God biffed Obed-Edom and all his Houfea
You are neither to go out of your Station
to do the King's Part nor the Minlfter's Part,
but your own Part; if none in all Scotland
ihould take in the Ark, take ye it in, if none
in all the Paroch or Family fliould take it in*
fcc ye the Perfon alone in fr^ Family or
Paroch, that will not hold Chrift without
and ye within, take thou in the Ark, God,
and the Glory, and you have good Compa-
ny, I mean you not, your Bread is Bakei),
who knows, but when Kings, Rulers and
Minifters fees God's Bleffing on thefe that
take in the Ark, but they may 'come to an
Gled-Edoms Houfe and take in the Ark,
and give it room about \Throhes, Courts and
Churches, if once the fleg they have got with
it for the rafli handling of it were over, St Ihey
come a Kttk to thcmielves again, the A±I^ of
G O D is good PleneSQiing,in the mean Time.
6. In turning back the Ark of GOD again,
fo that ye do it very cautioufiy, let that be
your.
( 8<5 )
your firft care ; And i/?, in ferbging bade
She Ark of <SOD, take heed ye Jay not a
foul Finger on it, come firft to the Blood of
Sprinkling with the Tears of Repentance,
and ye will be the fitter for handling the
Ark of GOD, take that Advice along
with you ye will Thrive the better at Ark-
Work, Ifa. I. 17, 18. Wajh ye make you
dean, ceafe to do evil, learn to do well, PiaL
XXVI. I villi wajh my Hands in Innocency,
and fo I will catftpafs thine Alter. 2. Take
heed what ye carry the Ark home again u-
pon, left the Work Mifcarry, as it did,
£ Sam. 6. 3. Then they ho/mmered up a new Qartt
and bended the Ark of God upon it, and God
fmpte Uzza to Death, Whyi* that was not
the way GOD commanded to carry home
Ids Arjt, the Levitt- ihould carry it, be-
ware, ift of the new Cart of Human Knglijb
Inventions, lay it not on the Shoulders of
civil Magiftrates to do as he bids with it,
even a good T)artid gave a finfull Command
when he commanded to make a new Cart,
and draw it home with Eeafls, therefore it
mifcarried and came not home at that Time.
2. Eeware it be not laid on the new Cart
of the Inclinations of the People, that is as
totering a Seat as ever the Ark of God
was let upon, and yet this was the Cart our
Revolution-Men fent for it, when they ftiould
have laid it on GOD's Mind revealed in the
Scriptures; but Cart and it and all have got-
ten.
( 87 )
ten a fliake for that Sort of Work, NwK
4.5. They fhal! not touch any Holy Thirig
feft they dy,- DM. XII. 2. Ye fiiall hot da
every Man what feerns good in his own Eye?;.
fome great ProfefTofs have laid it on the In-
clinations of the People, and are ail like to
(be :ken to ihivefs, with the tottering of it.
k> i ye go not with a Proud Heart to
brim : the *4rk9 for if you do^ neither
GC ; nor Glory will go with yon.
Ex. XXXJIL 1. I will not go with this Peo-
ple for it h a ftiff necked People, a Stiff
Proud and Wilfull People, are not for the
Workj-gonotaSfo many Rude Souldiers, of
father proud Beggars contending and calling
tout about it, whofhall he molt praifed, e-
Deemed and cryed up, if you can fay with T)a&
%id9 Lord mine Heart is not Haughty nor
feline Eyes Lofty, then thou may exneer his
Goncfua in the Work, Pial. XXV? 9. He
id il glide tie Meek and Lowly, and tt
tieffiMsioay. ..* .
Secondly, There are fome Things I would!
ftave you doing, in going to bring tack the
Ark, j. Come with Hearts knit to GOT),
and to one another, In Love, Jer. 1L. 5. Thfc
Children of Jfrael ihall come they and the
Children of Judab together, weeping «ns
tjitygo, they ihall go to feekthe Lord thek
G O D, faying, Let us join our felves to
the LORD; join to the LORD and one
another.
a. Corns
( 8* >
, 2. Com? with firm Rcfoktions in Hi*
Strength to make a fickerer Covenant with
him, that ye ihall keep the Ark better, I
mean, the Divine Doftrine, Difcipline*
Worihip and Governmerft of his Houfe,
P'urer than ever ye did, and not loofe it out
of aSlaviihFearof Man coaft what it will.
3, Come with an Holy Emulation, an4
Contention, who ihall do moft and be fore-
mod in bringing back the Ark of God,
2 Sam X. 1 1 * Why ihould we be the kit in -
bringing back the Ring ? 5. come with an heal
Heart, let neither Sin, Satan, or the World,
have any Part of it, and ye ihall come fpeed,
Jer. 29. 13, Thenjhallyejeek me and find me\
<mhcn ye fearebforme with all your Heart. 4;
Come with Hearts melting with Sorrow, for.
finning a way the Ark, as thefe, Luke. II. 4.8-
Tthy Father at:d Tha-ve fought fbe Sorrowing. 5',
With great ]ojT>axid and Ifrael brought back
the Arkvvich Pialtries,Tr ampersand Harps re-
joicing greatlybefore the Lord, why I becaufe
Cbveiianting-Pays are Chrift Coronation-
Days the People ihonted till the Earth rang
again, when it could be faid, Solomon reign-
cth. O then what Joy ought there to be?
when ye fet the Crown on the Head of Chrift;
and fwear your alledgance to Him, let all
the Chiidrenof Zion be joyfull in their King,
yen Pfalms of Joy and Pxaifes on his Co*
conation-Day, GOD Reigneth let the
.., ( 83 J
Earth be glad, and the Iiland of ScothnA
greatly Rejoyce and we that now Sow id
Tears may reap in Joy,
A
Treface, LeCiureand
Sermon, on the Lord's
Day before the Re-
newing of the Cove-1
nants.
PR E F A C E.
AMONG many other Things' T)M?d
was a Type of CHRIST,, in tkefe
Two. ift In that the People of Jfraeh
( 90 )
League and Covenant with 'Dartd, 2SamVa
3. And Secondly Set theCrown uponhis Head;
1. That they made a League with him,
2 Sam. V. 3, So all tie Elders of Ifrael tame
tot tie King to Hebron, and he made a League
mth trjem before the Lord,' typyfying the
League and Covenant, that is made between
King JESUS, and Israelites indeed, in whom
is no Guile, and this is the Work for which
you are come here to Day, O that it may be
fa id, and King JESUS, and the Sincere Scots*
Men are come to "Black-hill, and then he
made a League with them and they with
him ; Now in this League to Day, ijl9
there moft be a Renounciation, a Difoun-
ing and Shaking off the Authority, of all
Ufurpers, and Pretenders who pretend to be
King of the Heart, or King of the Church,
let this be a great Article of your League
with him this Day, that was the Article of
Jjrach League with him, Ka. XXVI 13. 0
Lord ot<y God, dther Lords hauehadlDominion
ever us, but henceforth by thee .only will nsoe
wake Mention erf thy Name% They have inva-
ded ,md imp'ofed on our Confidences, they have j
invaded -And impofed upon thy Kingly Domi-
nion jh thy Church, and we like Slaves and
Rebels nave, yielded to their ufurped Autho-
rity, but by thy Grace it fliall be lb no
n<»re, thz L O ft. D will pnrfue you with the
Armies of his Wrath, ay till you put away,
a&d ilta.K coif the Authority of thefe Pre ten-
ders?
( 91 )
ders, to his Kingly Throne, as TDawd did
the City oiAbell, whereof Rebell Sbeba had
taken Poffefion, but when they once threw
the Head of Sbeba over the wall to Joab%
'David'* Army retired, 2. Ye muft this Day
take the Oath pf Alledgence, to him that
ye will be governed by his Laws , and on-
ly fubmit to the Doftrinc, Difcipline, Wor-
fliip and Government of his Houfc, which he
himfelf hath appointed and revealed in his
Holy Word, contained in the Conferlion of
Faith, and Sworn to by the Three King-
doms, and that although it be with many af-
ter their Oath as it was with Orfab. Ruth I,
14. who after a Solemn Promife, to'gowith
Ruth to the People, and God, of ijr^id
yet kiffed her Mother in Law, and left the
God of Ifraelr and his People, yet do ye as
Ruth did, /he clave to her Mother in Law,
and faid thy People fhall be my People,
and thy God fhall be my God, and took a»
Oath upon it, as the Lord liveth ihe would
do it, I know thefe that have all their Reli-
gion by rat, and kens no more of the Keali-.
ty and Power of it, than aBeaft will think it
Strange or fay it is Judgement like to. fee
you hold up your Hands and fvvear your
Alledgance to Chrift, but the really Reli-
gious knows it is a great Duty commanded
of God, and pracliied not only in our Fa-
ther's Days, bat even under the darker A i-
miniilraticn, under the old Teftament, 2v : .
M 2 X. 29,
X. 29. they entered into an Oath, and 4
Curie to keep the Commandments of GOD;
Wifhii® the heavy Curfeof GOD on them-
fckes :f tii^y kcep^d not the Covenant or
Comr.i^nd^eiu's of God. ' 3. Article of your
League with jEimit nmft be that ye will ne-
ver part', your Spiritual Obedience betwixt
jhim ancj pretended ufurpers, if it fhould
coaie to that, that the Kings of the Earth*
aid forbid the Government, Difciplme,
Doctrine and Woriliip that CHRIST Com-
mands, or to dirniniik fo much therefrom as
kn evidence of Loyalty. Anfwerthem, not ,
£n Hove, or Hare-breadth ( What needs thitf
£rc there no other ways to * evidence our
Loyalty to Earthly Monarchs, but by prov-
ing IVebels to CHRIST, if paying them _
what is their Dues, praying \o GOD for
them, Uc- will not prove it, t&eyfliall get
no other proof from us, Atis IV. 18, 19.
Let them take Teiefs Anfwer, in the like
Cafe, whether it's Right in the Sight of
God, to obey yoiynore than God judge ye.
Now if you Covenant with the LORD,
to be ruled by his Laws, he will Covenant
with you, that ye ihall be faved by his
Rightc oufnefs, protected from your Enemies,
guided by his Cp.u»fel here/ and received,
to his Glory hereafter, and be not dejected
tho' ye meet with perplexing Difcoiu
ments, about or after your Covenanting, ibr
£0 it hapened to Abraham, Gen. XV. 12.
GOD
God Entering in Goveant with him, the
Sun went down upon him, and lo an hor-
our of great Darknes fell upon him, but
the Lord thy God will make they Dark--
nefs Light, and he promifes Gen. XV i.
To Protect him, fear not Abraham for
I am they ihield, and thy exceeding great re-
ward, Ifa XL1II t. 2. Fear not for
I have redeemed thee, I have called the,
by thy Isfamc tho"a art mine I am the Lord
thy God, the Holy one of Ifrael they Sa-
viour Tf. CHI God's Mercy never
ends to them that fear him, tq them that
keep his Covenant and his Teftimonies.
Secondl as they made a Covenant with
jDaTid, fo they anointed him, and fet the
Crown upon his Head, for he was a King
of God's appointing, therefore they fet the
Crown upon his Head, fo Jefus Chrift is
a king of God's appointment, therefore fet
the Crown upon his Head, Tf. II 6. I
have let my King upon my Holy Hill Zion,
therefore the Church Crowns him hence
the cali is given Can. 3. Ult go forth O!
Daughters of Zion, and fee King Solomon
with the Crown wherewith his Mother
Crowned him, in, the Day of his Efpoufals
ye know Dukes, and Nobles, and Pears
cf thcLand are Honoured to fet the Crown
on the Heads of earthly Kings and what Joy
among them at their Coronation and the
cry given King William^ or George Ring-
ed*
( 94 )
cth in London, few of the great Men for? ,
maly making a Covenant with, & Crown-
ing King Jefus only fpme of meaner Rank
but, Heavens Nobles {hat are to fet the
Crown on Chrifts Head to day when he is
coming to take infeftment in Scotland come
away fee him with the Grown on his Princ-
ely Head, the Crown of the Kirk of Spot*
land, and long may Jie enjoy it and
God's bleffing one eveyy one that lifts up
an Hand to fet it on his Head and God
give every one of you a Joyfull Heart
at his coming to Receive the Crown,, Zech
IX 9. Rejoyce greatly O ! Zion, input O !
Daughters! pfjerufalem behold {hy King
someth to the meek and having Salvation,
and Lord give you a Joyful Heart when
ye have fet the Crown xipon his Head,
&f. 149-2- Let all the Children of
Zion be Joyfull in their King, and fend
you home to your Houfes with a Glad
Heart, faying as in Jfaiab XXXIII. 22.
Now the Lord k our Judge the Lord is
pur Lawgiver, he will fave us, we have
Crowned Qirift whom we have chofen
to be our King let others chule to be
King in the Church whom they will I have
chofen him, and fee who /hall have moft
ground to rejoyce in their King, at the
laft day, look there be noAie that fear
God here to day that iliall either refufe to
fet the Crown upon his Head or be angry
at
( 95 ) r
at us who are going tov do rit when wtf
.Ztebar you from the Priviledges of hi*
Kingdom, left it come to this at lafl with
yOu thefe mine Enemies that would not
that I fhould Reign ovci' them, bring
>them hither and flay them before me, now
you have a Golden opportunity to do
Chfift anHoribur openly before the World
and fwear your alledgance to him when
bthers are fwcaring away his Kingly pre-
rogatives you will may be never fee the
Ixke again while your Eyes are open,'
Hand not in the way of your own mercies
for thofe that Honour him he will Honour
but thefe that Defpife him fliall be lightly
eftemed Ledure,
LECTURE
. Ckt XV. f2, is, 14,- T5. And
they entred into e Covenant to feek tlx
Lord God of their Fatlxrs, with all their
Heart and with all their Scul, "That -who*
foever would not feek the Lord God of
Ifrael, Jhould be put to TJeath, whether
fmall or great, whether Man or Woman
And they Sware unto the Lord with a
loud Voice, and with jhoiding, and with
Trumpets and with cornets And g'll Judah
rejoyced
£ 95 )
rtjoyeti at the Oath ; for they had Sworn with
all their Heart, and fought him with their
whole dejire, and he was found of them and
the Lord garoe them rest round about
IN the Fh% Two verfes of this Chap:
the Prophet Ohed Exorteth King <A}a*
and all Judah to cleave to the Lord, and
backshis exhortation with fir (iaPromife, that
if they be with the Lord in Duty, he will be
with them in Mercy, the Lord is with you
while you are with him. . 2. With a thre-
atningthat if they left the Lord's fervice,
he would leave them but if ye forfake
him, he will alfo forfake you, and then
one may chafe a Thoufandof thembecauie
their Rock hath S©ld them, and the Lord
hath flint them up, and the truth of what
he had now afferted, he proveth from an
example pf the late war betwixt the King-
dom of Judah and the Kingdom of Ifmel
for Judah who had not forfaken God prove
victorious in the War^ and Ifrael who
had forfaken the Lord were yanquiihed and
greatly diftrefled, as in the XIII Ghap. of this
Book, from u 3; For, now, for a long time
Ifrael was without the true GOD, without'
a teaching Prieft, and without Law, then
there was no Peace to them that went out,
or came hv but City, divided a&ainft City,
and the Lord did vex them with all Ad-
▼crfi'tv, they had Priefe enough at that
Time
( 91 ) -
Tittle, but they were unfaithful, therefore
GOD reckons them no Priefts and there was
As little luck, Grace, or Peace in their Time,
as it is faid in Chap. 13. 9. have ye not caft
out the Priefts of the Lord, and made you
Priefts after the Manner of the Nations of a-
ther Lands, fo that whofoever cometh tocon-
fecrat himfelf with a young Bullock and
Seven LambsJ the fame may be a Prieftof them
that arc no GODs, the very fin of Scotland:
Now this good King hearing it to be the faf-
eftCourfe for him and all his Kingdom to
cleave to the Lord, he prefently gathers all
Ifrael together, and King and People and
altogether, enter into a Covenant to feek
the LORD GOD of their Father's: Ofot
fuch a work among the the King and Sub-
jects, of 'Britain what Peace would be amongffi
us from GOD, and what bleffings would
King and Subjects be to one another, how
.would it go better with Soul and Body, both as
to oar Temporal and Eternal Conditions f
How would the Heart-Burnings, and Debate
that are amongft us at this Day ceafe ? but
aks! little Faith in God, but all Humane'
Policy ay debording farther, and farther from
God's Covenant, and ay the farther from it,
ay the iefs peace, fo that if we continue in
this Courfe" of Apoftacy, a little Time poor
Scots-Men wTillbe their ownHuine, tho* no
.reign Enemy ihould trouble us, we will
come to that with it, to cut one another
N Throat*
( 98 )
Throats ere long, yea great Mints making to
do it already.
Inthefe Words from the beginning of our
reading are $ Things, i. Their Noble Re-
ligious A&, they entered into Covenant
with GOD. 2. The Manner and Way they
go about it not fuperficially, overly or forma-
ly, with a Vain Empty outward fiaow, no^
they are Heart exercifed they do it
with all the Heart. 3-. Theyapointa ftrick
Puniflimcnt to be inflicted on all without Di-
ftinftionofSex, that will not enter into Co-
venant with GOD. 4. The great Joy they
expprefs in going about this Covenant with
GOD. 5. The bleffed Effedfc that followed
upon it, GOD fmiled from Heaven in his
Providence upon the Covenanters.
1. Their Noble Religious Aft, they en-
ter into Covenant with GOB, and this h
different from a Perfcnal Covenant, which
is made only betwixt the LORD and a Sisglc
Perfon, it was a National Covenant be-
twixt GGD and the whole Nation, where
the heal balk of the Nation enters under an'
Oath and a Curie to keep the Commandments
of the Lord, and clofely to adhere to the
Scriptures real Government, ttoctrine, Di-
scipline and Wor/hip of his Houie, like -that
Covenant, Neb. X. 29. They entered into.
<m Oath to keep aMthe Commandments of
the Lord, and that Jer. L. 4, Ifrad and
yudal?, joyn together ro enter into a lure Co-
ven*
( 99 )
venant never to be forgotten, and that
T>eut. XXVI. 1 8, i p. where GOD is the one
Party and the Nation the other, thou halt a-
vouched the Lord this Day to be thy GOD,
und the Lord hath avouched thee to bt a Ped-
pie to himielf, you fee National Covenant-
ing is Lawfull.
2. The Excellent way they £o about this
bleffed Work, it was with all the Heart, and
all the Soiri, they did it not with Halfe the
Heart, not caring whether they did it or not,
they did it not with a Double Heart with one
Heart, to make it, becauic it wa^ the Fa&i-
on, becaufe the King and Rulers did it, or
to get a Name of Honour to be outwardly in
Covenant with GOD, and with another
Heart to brak it if Authority Commanded
it, not like that Man fpoken of the double,
minded Man, that h unliable in all his Ways,
James 1.8. The Greek hath it the Man
with the Heart and the Heart, or the Man
with the Two Hearts, to make it to Day
and Swear, againftthe prefent Perjury, and
Apoftacy of the Times, and yet go back a-
gain with their Convcniency, to joyn in
that corrupt Worihip which they abjured,
this would have been no'iefs than deliberate
Perjury, and a Mocking of GOD to his Face,
not like thcie .that flattered GOD with
their Mouth, Tfd. LXX VIII. 32. but their
Heart was not right with GOD, and there
fore proved unftedfaft and perfidious in his
N 2 Co.
( ioo }
Covenant, not like thcfc 2 Kings XVII. 35, j
that feared the Lord arid ferved their own
gods, no, but with all the Heart, many in
Scotland would have the Honour to be called
GOD's People, but will ferve their own gods, '
great Men, felf intereft, and the Faftiion,
look there be no fuch Covenanters here halt-
ing betwixt Opinions, but imitat this happy
People they entered into Covenant to feck
the LOKD GOD of their Fathers,
with all the Heart and with all the Soul, and
fuch a Heart and Soul-Seeking and Covenant- '
ing takes in thefe 4 Things. 1. They did
it with all the Judgement and underftanding
they had, as if they had laid, now LORD,
we the Dull: of thy Footftool are going in
Humility to enter into Covenat with thee,
to keep by the right Government, Doctrine,
jPifciplinc and Worfliip of thy Koufe with all
the underloading we have, Lord let us have
110 more Underftanding than we fhalllrnploy
about that Work, Lord take the Witt from
us that Day, that we imploy it to break thy
Covenant, and Improve our Underftanding,
how to e::ci;fe the breach of Covenant with
Thee, and render the Keepers of it Unfam-
ops: Tfal CXIX. in, with all the Under-
ftanding ^nd ail the Judgement I have
judged thy Commandments concerning all,
Things to be right, and I hate every Falfe
fjouble and trkkey way- 2. With.ali the
Heart that is with all the Will, Q faith the
Soul !
( ioi )
Soul! I never did a turn io much with the
Will, as 1 'do eiiter this Day in Covenant
with God, compelled Worfhip is ill for the
Soul: I will make thy Precepts my Medi-
tation, and I will have a refped to each one
of thy Commandments. Tjal CXIX. 106.
Ihaue Sworn and I will perform^ that I will
keep thy Righteous Judgements. Mark how
many wills are here, I will, I will, I will,
and I will, as if they had faid, Lord let me
never have any will to my own welfare, if
it be not all fet on Work to enter into Cove-
nant with God, for Covenanting Days
are Da^s wherein not only Minifters
but even Covenanters imprecat a Curfe,
andthe Curfe of God on the Breakers of the
bleffed Bargain. Neh. IX. 29. They entered
into an Oath & into a Curfe, to keep all the
Commandments of God, as if they had faid,
the broad Curfe of God light on us, if we do
not in Divine Strength perform our Vows
' to God, or if we knowingly, willingly or
totally and finally break this Covenant. I
know fome Folk will think that uncouth fort
of Language, to fpeak of entring Cove-
nant with God, arid taking on Curies on
thernfeives, and will fay you Minifter Curfes
all Day, but flay till I tell you, fo did thofe
Heart-Covenanters, and if this be to Curfe,
we will Curfe yet more. 2. I ken what
fort of Folks ye are that will fay fo, a fort
of People that to this very Day, aie Strangers
t©
[ 102 ]
to God, and never yet to this good Hour,
were in earneit in God's Matters : Yea ye
are a fort of Folk, that will not Vow becaufc
you never yet relolved to pay to the Lord our I
God, left ye fhould marr your covetous or
finful Defignes ; and therefore, think you will
hold you loufe when you are loufe, poor
Man would thou have that loufenefs explain-
ed to thee, then fee it done to an Hairs-breadth.
Eph. II. 12. 'That at that Time you are with-
out Chrift, being Allans from the Common-Wealth
of Ijrael, and Strangers to the Covenant of Tro-
fttifii having no Hope, and -without God in the
World : You are not of David's Mind
and therefore, not of the right Mind in this
Matter, Tfal CXIX. I will walk at liber-
ty when I have a Refpedt to all thy Com-
mandments.
3. With all the Heart Sc Soul, that is with all
the Affections of the Soul, Love, Joy ^Delight
as if they had faid, Lord let us never find Joy
in any Thing if we take not thee, to be our
God, and thee alone King and Head of thy
Church, to be ruled by thy Laws, and no o-
ther in the Matters of thy own Houfe, & Lord
fet us as a Seal upon thine Heart, as a Seal
upon thine Arm,for our Delight our Joy Scour
Love to thee, thy Caufe Intereil and Inftitu-
tions, is ftrong as Death vehement as the
Grave, and therefore as love was the Motive
that moved Jonathan to enter Covenant
with 7J?,'Jdy and Swareto him for he lov-
ed
( 103 )
ed him as his own Soul, is both my Motive,
and Manner of going about a Covenant Re-
newing with thee.
4. With all the Heart and Soul, that is
with all the Pith, Power, and Strength they
had, as iftheyhadfaid, Lord let me never
have Strength or Power to do a good Turn
to my fclf after this if all the Strength I have
through Grace, be not im ployed in maintain-
ing defending and Handing up, to the Death
for the Defence of his kingly prerogative,
and alone Head of his Church and thatlfliall
neither direftly or indirectly willingly and
deliberately countenance or totally and final-
ly fall away to that Do£irine, Difcipline,
Worihip, or Government of God's Houfe,
that is not of Divine appointment, or that
is Corrupt with Humane Inventions, or Per-
jurious Oaths, contrary to our National Co-
venant and Solemn League, which we with
all the S011I8C Strength we have renew with the
'this Day, and with all the Strength we have,
encourage and defend one another in the main-
tatning of thy pure Infiitutions.
This Heart- Work is a Work that alas ma-
ny in this Land are Strangers to, and there-
fore, we may take up that Lamentation,
Jer.,XIV. 8. Othou Hot t of Tlracl, and Ste
miG%r thereof in Time of 'Trouble, whertforg
wt thou as a Stranger in Scolizn^ and as &
ttoxy-farhg Man that turns a):de io tarry for a
J&gbt, God will withdraw, and withdraw^
and?
( 104 )
and ay the longer the Farther away from t^j
and we will dwindle away in our Religion,
and Liberties, till fcarce the Shadow or Re-
membrance of either be left unlefs we
come to be in good earneft, and enter into a
Covenant with all our Heart, and with all
©ur Soul.
"Thirdly, In the Words, we have thefe-
vere Puniihment that was to be inflicted on
all that refufed to Covenant with God, <verf*
13. that whofoever ihould not feek the Lord
God of Ifrael ihould be put to Death, whe-
ther it were Man or Woman, How guilty
then are thefc Lands that have put fo ma-
ny Men and Women to Death for feeking
God, and adhering to his Covenant, and I
will tell you, 1. that if the Magiftrate at this
Time ; hath made no fuch Lav/ as to puniih
with Death, thefe Men and Women, that
will not enter into Covenant with God, yet
the great God, the Supreain Magiftrate of
Heaven and &arth willPuniili fuch negle&ers
except they repent and amend, and we fear
they be thin Sown in this Generation that
will Repent for the Matter. And 2. What
if (for asiickerasfuchfit at this Day J -God
fulfill that threatning, andPunifh many with
Bodily Death. Lev. XXVI. 25. hml bring
aJ&word upon the Land which Jhall'vyivengc
the^anel of my Covenant, ,
Fourthly, The great Solemnity and Joy
they expi-cfed, ingoing about the Work of
National
( io5 )
National Covenanting witn God. wf. 14;
And'AlJudab rejoiced at the Oath, for they
had Sworn with all the Heart, and fought
him with the wThole defire, and they fwore
to the Lord with a loud Voice and with
fliouting, and with Trumpets, and all Hea-
ven and Earth Sounds and Keiounds with
joyfull Jubilations in the Coronation Days
of' Chritt, which are Marriage Days betwixt
him and a Bride prepared, and made ready$
O that this may be fuch a day, as you find
the like Days in Scripture, Tech. IX. 9.
Rejoice greatly O Zion. iliout O Daughters
of Jerufale/%, for behold thy King cometh td
thee, Cant. 3.1aft. Go forth O Daughters of
Jerufolem, and fee the antitype of King So*
iomo% Crowned with the Crown wherewith
his Mother crowned him, in the Day of his
Efpoufals, and in the Day of the gladnefs of
his Heart, Rev. XIX. 7. Let us be glad and
rejoice and give Honour to him, for the
Marriage of the Lamb is come, and his
Wife hath nude her felf ready, O Ghri-
ftiansmake ready, make ready, and let us
have a joyfull day of it, all is ready, i£
ye be ready : The Coronation Day is come*
the Marriage Feaft is made ready, for Heart
and Soul Covenanters we are ready, come-
in his Name to_invit. you, and propofe tho
Terms to you, and lead yon by the Hand,-
and prefent you as a Bride toChrift by
flic wing you as God Aull help in the
Q ftfllo^iiSg
( 105 )
following Work, how ye ftiall come to the
Glorious Bridegroom, and we arc heartily rea-
dy and willing to folemonize the Marriage
in our Matter's Name and bind you Minis-
terially to the prince of the Kings of the
Earth, and to put the Marriage Oath to you
that we may be able to fay with TW, I have
efpoufed you to one Husband, even Chrift :
Can it be porlible that there fhall be one in
all the company fo obdured, and hard heart-
ed as to refute to come and give Chrift a
glad Heart, when he fo fvveetly Invits, I
have prepared my Dinner, my Oxen and
my Failings are Killed, all Things are
ready, come ye to the Marriage, give him
one glad Re^rt, for all the Sorrow ever
he fullered for you, even make this a Co-
venanting Coronation day, betwixt Chrift
and you, and that will be the day of the
Gladneisof his Sbulj can it be pomble that
there is one fo obdured or hard Hearted
hi all tills Vc.ii Multitude, againft their own
Soul, as to Refufe, to come and beMari-
ed to, and £*ved by the plant of Re-
nown are you amind to harden your feif
in Sorrow and deipife the brightness of
the' Fathers Glory, and run to Ruin
wilfully like fo many Defperado's: O
Rew in Time, Rew in Time, left ye
Rew it fore when Time is gone for ever,
and he ffiall fay to you behold you de
fpiers wonder and Perifli, wonder what
Glorio
( 107 )
Glorious Bridegrom ye flighted, and for
how bafe and unparalelable an Equiva-
lent as you have done, what a Noble baiv
gain you have let go by you, catching
at fo infignificant trifrles, if any of you
think itisfafeftforyou, for all that is faid,
not to engage in Covenant with Chrifr,
nor once to lift up an Hand, nor weild
your felves, to let the Crown on his Head,
and if there were none to fet it on, or be
efpoufed to him but you, there
fliould never come a Crown upon his
Head, and he might come a Suiter to
the World's end, and go home as he came,
I tell fuch ye will not be long of that
mind, I can affure you, when ye ftand be-
fore his Bare and none to fet the Crown v
upon your Head but him, whom ye ferved
fo on his Coronation day, ye may cry for
a Crown of life to the Ages of Eter-
nity, lifting up your Head and Kyes in Tor- 1
ment, and lay down your Head and Eyes
to fry and Hotter again in Hell,
Is this any thing but fair jufii.ee, to thefe <
curfed Eyes of thine, that could fland and
fee others fet the Crown on his bleffed -
Head, and would not fly to and help, yea
flew away becaiife ye Loved not to fee
the Crown on his Head, Keproching the ^
Poor Miniilers, becaule he would not
deceive you, and fay you fliould be laved,
tho' ye never put your Hand to the work
O 2 y0y
f 10S )
you will Change your Mind, ye that would
nor willingly give him this peace of Glory
due to his Name, when he calls you in
Prifon, and exacts it of you by force, and
the 'Chariot Wheels' of his Wrath ride e-
ternally over you in Triumph, that envy-
ed Chrift of the Crown of his own Ecc-
lefiaftiek Kingdom, and what did thou
win of it, thou faw it fet on his Zicad
whether thou would or not, and much
joy that day, but they part of joy was
lead then, and ever ihall be world with-
put End.
5. The bleffed efecls of this Heart work
in feeking the Lord, and! Covenanting with
him, and they are two 1. He was found
of them, he was found of them, what
Word's what pen what Tongues of Men
or Angels can lufficently hold fourth what
thefe Heart Seekers, Heart Covenanters
found, that rriorning they found him, 1.
They found God's favour, and Eternal Life
that Morning Tro. VIII, 35. They that
find me find Life, & ihall obtain favour of
the Lord, 2. They found a ixighteouinefs to
Juftify them before the Bare of God,
and Strength to carry them thither, that
happy covenanting Morning that they found
him, Ifa. XLV 24. Surely iliaH one fay.
in the Lord have I Pughteoufnes and
ftrength 3. They found a Salvation Cap-
tain to firick and cut the gate to Glory
before
t *©9 )
before them, that hippy covenanting Morn-
ing that they found. Mm, Htb. II 10.
He's the Captain of Salvation that brings
many Sons to Glory, be the adversary's who
will: Rev, Vl 'i. He hath a bow and
a Crown, and he goes forth conquering
and to conquer, carrying down all. oppo-
sition of Men and IDiveis before him Col II
15. He fpqiled Principalities and Powers,
that's Devils, trumphing over them
pn the Crofs and Tjh CX 5. He
ilia] I ftrick through Kings that oppofe
him in the day of his Wrath, Wee] s, them
that ever they were born, that finds him,
3. They rind a Vanquisher of Death and
Hell, and of the grave, that bkflcd cove-
nanting Morning, when they went to work
with the Heart and foud him, Hof. XIJI
s%. I will Redeem them from Death, I
will Ranfom them from the power of the
Grave, O Death I will be thy plague IO
Grave 1 will be they Deftruction 5. They
found not only comfort, but confoltation
it felf that blefTed covenanting Morning
when they went, to the Work, with their
Heart up the Brae, Luke II. 25. He is
called the cpnfolalion of Ifrael> 6. That
Welled Morning they found him they found
a Glorious Refurre&ion to their Poor
Bodys out of the Grave, John XI 25. I
am the Refurrection and the Life they find
all that find him, and they loTs all that
lofc
f no }
lofe him, And alas they let cxtrordi-
nary finding time flip that Jet a covenanting
ing day flip, it was whan they entered into a .
covenant to feek him with all the Heart, and
Soul, that he was found of them. 2. He
gave them Reft round about, People will
notbelive it, that the Keaibn.of wars abroad
and 2X Home, are Gods raging Sword
avenging the Quarrel of his covenant, but
if they would tray an experiment, as Judah
did here enter into covenant, to feek the
Lord with all the Heart, and Soul, the
King's Trcafour needed not be fo ex-
haufted of Money nor the Poor groan un-
der fo many Ceffes and preffes to mantam
a warr, nor fo many bodys go to the green
as now there doth,
If this will not engage you to this great
Work what can I fay more.
The ACTION
Sermon
>. L 4. 5-
IN thofe Days and ^t that time faith the
Lord, the Children oilfrad fnall come
they the & Children of Judah together going
and weeping as they go, and feeking the
Lord their God, they fliall ask the way
to
f I" )
to Zion, with their Faces thitherward, fay-
ing, Come and let usjoyn ourjehesto the Lord,
in a fer£ciual . Covenant never to be for-
go/ten.
The People of God and their Enemies
arc like the Two Scales of the Ballance,
when the one goeth up the other goeth down,
a Day of Joy to Enemies is a Day of La-
mentation to Ifrari, and a Day of Joy to If
rttcl, is a Day of Lamentation to Babylon^
in that Day Babylon fhall be brought to La-
mentation : The People of GOD at this
Time were Poor Captives in "Babylon : but
the Prophet Jerewzah foitelleth a Change in
the Government, the Northern Army coming
fltgainft Babylon, under the Command of Cy-
ruSy then Babylon is deftroyed -, how then
gees it with the People of God? never better,
they are let at Liberty, from their long and
fore Captivity, and come home again to their
own Land, to build the Temple, and feek
the LORD their GOD, and to enter in-
to a perpetual Covenant with him never to
be forgotten.
In the Words are two Principal Parts, i .The
Angular and feiious Frame that thefe Heaven-
ly Souls are in, they are fvveetjy and harmo-
nioully going Zion-ward together, going and
weeping as they go, in a melting frame of
Spirit. 2. The blefled Deilgn they have be-
fore them, it is to find the Lord their Gcd,
and to enter into a perpetual Covenant,
with
f *w )
with the Prince ot the Kings of the Earth*
let us join our felves to the Lord in a per-
petual Covenant never to be forgotten, which
ought to be the Frame and Work of this
Multitude met here this Day.
Time andStrength will not allow to fpeak
largely to this fubjeci, we /hall therefore pitch
upon one general Observation from them, for.
your Direction in this great Work, that if
poflible we may lead you by the Hand, to that
God, and that Zion whom you profefs to be
asking for, and feeking, and get you Hand
failed and Married to hirn, in a perpetual
Covenant never to be forgotten, and the Ob-
fcrvation is this.
T>gCl That a Serious and Single-Hearr-
ed People coming back to B.enew their bro-
ken Covenant with God, cometh in a very
Melting, Tender and Heavenly Frame *
O with what a Noble Frame of Heaven,
doth this Honeft-hearted People, come back
to feek the Lord their God, and renew their
violated Covenant with him, going and
weeping as they go feeking the LORD their
GOD.
Here I lTiall enquire into thefe Things, i.
What a National Covenant with God is,
(for fuch a Covenant with God was this)
2. How it appear?, that a Nation that have
entered Solemnly in Covenant with GOD,
imy notwithftanding break it and dealialily
in his Covenant. 3. Why is it or what are
the
( "3 )
the Rcafons why a Nation that hath Solemn-*
ly entered into Covenant, may break their
Covenant with him. 4. Why a Nation that
fiath broken their Covenant with God ought
to renew it again. 5. What are thefe pio-
per Times and Seafons, when a Nation that
hath been periideous in G O D's Covenant
ought to renew their Covenant with him*
6. Wherein ihould the Serioufnefs and
Heavenliriefs of a People that hath broken
their Covenant with God appear, or what
Frame ought they to be in, in coming back
to renew their Covenant with God. And
7. Speak fliortly to the Nature of this bleff-
edWork of rtricking up again a Covenant
with God that had beed formerly broken by
them.
E?>/?, What National Covenanting with
God is, I fliall hint fhortly at it in ihewing
ift, Negatively what it is not, 2d, Pofli*
lively what it is. r. Negatively to prevent
mi ftakes about it, a National Covenant,
cannot be an Engagement to any Thing
unlawful, befide or contrary to the Word of
God, for all fuch Covenants arc finfull, and
an Oath cannot be a bond of Iniquity, we dare
not add to, nor take from the Word of God,
any manner of way, Rev. XXII. 18, 19.
much lefs with an Oath, this would be ta
Vow and Sacrifice to the Lord, a Corrupt, or
at leaft an unrequired Thing, and would be
j-ejeded, Ifa< L12, 13, Wich* Wbohdthre-
( 114 )
quired thejc Things at your Hands? i\ A
National Covenant is not an Oath to do a-
ny thing that is impoflible, even although
it be lawful, all impoflible Oaths are unlaw-
ful Oaths. Would it not be an unlawful Oath
for a poor Man to fwear that he fliould
mantain a Faithful Minifter, on his own
proper Charges, in this Time of need, for
Seven Years ; and in the mean Time he can
fcarce Maintain his own Family : The
Thing is lawful, if it were in his Power,
and yet an unlawful Oath becaufe not in his
Power, that is an unlawful Oath, alfo to live in
'Britain, and yet Swear in a Covenant neither
to pay any manner of Dues to the King nei-
ther direclly nor indire&ly as fonie do, that
Oath is unlawfull and highly finfull, becaufe
impoflible, itspoiible, to "die for the Truth,
if put to it, but notpoffibletolive in 'Bri-
tain and keep fuch a Covenant, fuch a Cove-
nant fliould have been made on the Borders
of thefe Dominions, and then prefently Jek
them, and never returned. $. It is an unlawful
Covenant, to fwear poor Things not to hear
the Gofpel Preached, untill they agree with
fuch and fuch Sectarians and Criminal Mini-
iters, for here is a Wickednefs on both Hands.
i. In bringing Perfons from Converting Ordi-
nances, even when they lye under that fad
Bond ; feeing Perfons here and there convert-
ed by fuch a Mlnifter, as they are Sworn
not to hear. And, 2d9 in ftrengthning the
Hand?
r us j
Hands of fuch Infamous Men, that dare be
f o bold as to feefe fuch Oaths of poor People,
fuch an Oath is a Piain £ond of Iniquity,
reiembling that Confpiracy againft Tatk
where a Number of Infamous Perfons Band
themfelves under an Oath and a Curfe, that
they ihould neither Eat nor Drink untiil
they had Killed Tad 4. Its an unlawful
Covenant, to fwear to maintain a Govern-
ment in a Church, all corrupt with Human
Inventions, Additions to, and Diminitions
from the Word of GOD, where fome of
the Bible is picked out to be made ufe of, and
the reft laid by reproachfully, fome of it
called Dark, and unintelligible, fome of it
called immodeft, and Additions made of
Faffs Vigels Feftivals, Supperftitious Days,
Saints and Angels, fuch as Yull, New-
Years-Day, Whitfunday, Pentecoft, Epipha-
ny, Advent-Sunday's Lent, Candlemais, Eit-
her, the Purification pf the Virgin Mary9
Croflings in Baptifm, Kneeling at the Sacra-
ment, which is a Worfhipirg of Bread and
Wine. Saints and Angels, and many fuch
Things do they in England and Rome, to
which Government the'Minifters of Scotland
have Sworn to maintain, which makes them
lyable to that fevere threatning Rcv.XXU.
18, 19.
2. Pofitively, in a Word a Lawful Nati-
onal Covenant is nothing elfe but a Solemn
Oath to God, to Serve aad Worihip him ac-
P 2 cording
( II* )
cording to his Word, without Addition or
Diminition, Neh. IX 38. Having confefled
their Sins, they fay^ "Becaufc of all Vis, noe j
make a [are Covenant and Write it, What is
the Covenant * Ch. X. 29. There it
is they entered into a Curfe and into an Oath,
to walk in God's Law, given by Mofcs the
Servant of God, and to obferve and do all the
Commandments of the Lord our God, all the
Commandments are buoorntoand not any thing
dfe but the Commandments » you fee then
what a National Covenant is, all the Word
of GOD you may alio fee how dangerous
a Thing it is, to miftake a Covenant with
GOD, as if the firength of it were not
to pay Tribute to Rulers, not of our Opi-
nion, contrary to the 23. Chapter of the
Confeflion of Faith, and Matthew XXII,
21. compared with Matthew XVX 24, £5:
Render to C&far the things that are §df&*U
what is that!* Tribut, and left Clirift fhouM
bflfend them in not paying, he wrought a Mi*
*acle, and got it out of the Mouth of a Fifh
*z. ^Yoxi fee alio any that will cajj a Na*
tional Covenant Treafon, calls the Bible
Treafon, thefe that burn their National Co-
venant burn the Bible : And thefe that fay,
what have we to do with the Covenant, it is
not binding upoji us, thefe fay what have
we to do with the Bible, it is not binding upon
•as, but only on thefe, in whofe Day?, it was
Tfiade, theft that add fvy ortakefro^"a Nati-
( 117 )
tnal Covenant, add to and take from. tbe2Siblet
the want of taking up a National Covenant
aright, hath clone much Skaith on all Hands
in Scotland, or take a National Covenant
thus, it is a Solemn Oath, to Maintain Defend
and ftand up to the Death for the Scriptural
Doctrine, Difcipline, Worfliip and Gover-
nment of the Houfe of GOD, and the main-
tamers thereof, and. a Renounciation and
Abjuration of all Falfe, Antifcriptural
Doctrine, Difcipline, Woriliip and Gover-
nment, and the obftinate Maintainors there-
Secondly, How'it appears, that a Nation-
that hath entered into Covenant may vbreak
it, we need not flay upon this fad Subject of
Perjury againft GOD, having thefe Three
Things at Hand to prove it. i , The benfilof
corrupt Nature. 2. Scripture. 3. Sad Ex-
perience, r. Of corrupt Nature, of which
the LORD faith, my People are bent to
backiliding from me, Hof. XI. 7. a Woful
Beniil, and perpetual by as in corrupt Nature,
and Tit 1. 16. haling a Trofejjion that they know
(xGZ>, but in Works they deny him, beingTZe-
belious and ^Disobedient, and to every good
Word and Work Reprobate. 2. It appears
from Scripture Exampels, Ez. XVII. 1 9, 20.
Surely my Covenant -which he hath broken and
my Oath -which he hath dejpfed, it will 1 re-
comtence upon his own Head. ■ And Tfal.
LXXVII1. 32. Their Words were good bid
their
[ irS ]
their Hearts were pot right with GOT), neither
were they Jledfaft in his Co-vena*!: i\nd alfo
from thir People in the Text, they endeav-
our to make, this Covenant fickerer, becaufe
they had broken their laft Covenant. 3.
From fad Experience in Scotland, that ve-
ry King and People and Minifters that entered
Covenant with God, to extirpate Prelacy,
and ered GOD's own Divine Inftitutions,
brake and exterpated the Lord's pure Initia-
tions, and owners thereof, and ereded. ab-
jured Prelacy, and at this Day in which we
ly under a Curfe, and an Oath to reform
England, as far as we can, from Prelatick
Government, yet have taken an Oath quite
contrary to defend to the uttermoft of our
Power, the Prelatick Goverment of the
Church of England.
Thirdly, Why is it? Or what are the
Reafons why a Nation that hath Solemn-
ly entered into covenant with God, do
break it i 1 . Becaufe many have the fame
Reafon to enter covenant with God, that
they have to break it, and that is Superi-
our power, they will enter into Coyenant
with God, becaufe the Magiftrate bids them,
that they maybe Loyal, and they will break
it again when the Magiftrate bids them, that
they may be Loyal and that Word holds
true of them, Hof. V. 11. Ephraim isoppref-
ed, and broken in "Judgment becaufe he willing-
ly walked after the Command, that is whither
the
C 119 1
the Ms giftrate Commanded to mak^a Cove*
nant with GOD or to break their Covenant
with him, it was all one to them, they were
alike willing to do both. 2. A Nation that
hath made a Covenant with GOD, do break
it through a Papift Principle, pining all their
Faith on the Minifter's Slive, they indeed
fcruple alittleat,and apprehend, That what
they and the Minifter are doing is not fo
right, when Minifiers are taking Oaths that
all the Countrey fays are a breach of Cove-
nant, and whom to go they for Resolution
but to Che Swearing Mini'fters who beguile
and deceive them, and hence that Scrip-
ture is fulfilled. Ifa. IX 16. For the Lead-
ers of this Teople caufe tlem to err, and they
that are led of them are defiroyed : In this cafe
it is with poor People, as it would be if an
Army had invaded the Land, openly to de-
firoy it, and the poor Country iliould go to
the Heads and Commanders of the Army of
Enemies, and ask Advice m this Matter
how they fliould be fafe, but quoth the Peo-
ple, the Minifiers are the fame Men that
they were before, they took the Oath and
fubmittedto Evglrjh Biihops, and Pa pifts Pa-
tronages, Anfwer all is true, but Minifiers are
not Popes, they are not infallible, Cam was
the fame Man he wras before, after he had
flain his Brother; Juddi was the fame Man
after he betrayed C H R 1ST, that he was
before when he Preached him ; the Chief
Priefts
f TSO )
Pricfts and Elders of Jjrael were the fame
Men, after they had Murdered the Son of
GOD, that they were; TDems was the
fame Man after he forfookthe Apoftles that
he was before \ Simon Magus was the fame
Marl* when he would buy and fell the Ho-
ly Ghott for Money that he was before, when
he believed and was Baptized i Bifhcp Sharp
was the fame Man after he betrayed the
Church of Scotland, that he was before,
when he was a Stout Covenanter ; and the
Six hundred Minifters that turned Epifco-
pals at the laft Overthrow of the Church of
Scotland, were the fame Men that they were
before, when they held up their Hands and
Sware to extirpat Prelacy. But it is as true
their Actings and Deeds were not the fame,
for they were now throwing down what they
formerly builded, and fo made themfelvcs
Tranigreflbrs : So it is with thefe Minifters
of the f wearing Religion, they are the fame
Men working about the fame Houfe they
were, but then they were building it now
they are throwing it down, imployed ab A\t
the fame Ark, then building it, but now
throwing it down like Noah's Builders who
builded not the Ark out of any Fear of a
Flood, for they neither feared nor believed,
any fuch Thing, but only wrought for Wa-
ges and would have with us good will thrown
it down for the fame Wages, as built it and
the be ft of the two,
3< They
( m )
5 They break becaufe they Covenanted
with a refer ve, and by Reipect Jail to
keep Covenant as long as it was in faihior*
and they might do fo vvithout any oifcnce
to their Mafters, or the Ruler, like naam.in
the fyrian, i. Kings V 27* There he Co-
venants, thy Servant will neither henceforth
dfer Brunt Offerings, nor Sacrifice td any
God, biit to the God of Ifrael, but Pardori
they Servant in this, I moft wait one my
Matter at his Idolatrous Wor/hip, Pardoii
they Servant only iii this, when I ihall
bow in the Houfc of Rimon, Tfah LXVIII
32. There Hearts were not Right with
God, thof their Words were good they
Covnatnted with a Referve, ay to hold i»
with the Laird and the Miniiters, for their
own . convenience*
Fourthly, why is if or what are the
Grounds and Reafons why a Nation or
People that have broken their Covenant
with God, ought to renew* it. r* Becaufe
we cannot live without God, what is breach
of Covenant writh God, but a renouncing
of him, and fluking off, of his Authority
and protection, thefe are joyned together
Pf. LXXVIII 10. They brake Qod'i
Eouenim and refufed to walk in his com-
maniminUy and wo to that "People thai Ihe
ixiithoui God in the WorHK Eph. II 12.
Strangers to the Covenats of promife with*'
oat God, and without hope in the World
Q^ % Became
( ni )
2. Becauie Qod commands it *yer: HI 1 2.
13. 14. Return O Backflidihg ^ Children
faith the Lord, And I will not caufe mine
Anger to fall upon you, Hof. XIV r. O
IJracl Return unto the Lord they God for
thou haft fallen by thine Iniquity, 3. Be-
cauie by Covenant relation we are the
Lord's, his Spoufe, and its a wicked de-
frauding him of his own right to flay away
and therefore the Lord is inviting us home
again, claims Intereft and Marriage right
to us, Jet. Ill 14. Return O Back Hiding
Children faith the Lord ;for I am Married
unto you tho you have broken your part of
the Covenant, the Relation frill ftands you
are mine I am Married to you, alio a Back-
aiding Covenant breaking People, acknow- .
ledge Gods Right to them in coming back,
Hof. XIV 2. Jer I'll 22. Return O Back-
sliding Children faith the Lord, their Aniwer
is behold we come to the for thou art the
Lord our God, we are not our owen but
thine and bought with a price 4. becauie it
Will be better for us. Hof II. 5. 7. I will
Hedge up her way wuh Thorns, that fee
fiiallnot find her path, and ike iliall follow
after her Lovers, and {hall not overtake
them, then ihe fltall fay I will go and Re-
turn to my 1. Husband, far then it w.asrjet-
ter with me than it is now : all fatiffaciion
I looked for in fin, in the World, in Rul-
ers in deceving Miniftcrs, all teals, me,
( x?<3 )
I can never over take that which I perfhew
after, beildes Hedges of Judgements and
Calamities meets me in purfuing them, Like
to Loofe both Church, Nation, and Soul,
a> the Prodigal Kan away from his c'aiheY
Houfc, and became both a drudge aud
ltarved drudge, I want the fweet Feaits of
Communion with God, 1 then had in ordi-
nances, 4. Became to come back is the very
Exercife of Repentance, and the way to get
Pardon, and Life, and fare Mercies, Ija.
LV 2. 3. Come to me and your Souls
/hall live and I will make an everlaftinit
covenant with you even the fure Mercies
of David 5. That we may as publickly
owen, and as earneftly contend for the In-
tereft of Chriit, and the Doctrine, Discipline
Wonliip and Goverment of his Houfe, as
Enemies contend againft, and abjures them
wherefore are we Chrift's Souldiers t living
on his Pay if we turn our back on him.
in the Day of Battle and brake that com-
mand. Jade 3. contend earneftly the Greek
fignifyes to contend as one contending in
an ageny, yea more as one contending for
his Life in an agonie yea more as one
contending for his Life in an agony above
his ircngth, 6. That we may be ever able-
after to Pray in faith which we cannot do
livining in open breach and violation o
our Covenant with God the Poor Mari
Tier's y&n I 6. Came to Jonah in tim
( *u )
pf danger, faying what meaneft thou O,
flecpcr ? Arife call upon they God, that
lie may fave us that we periin. not, for
tho we ihould all be drowned in the Sea
we cannt Pray to him, for we arc not in
Covenant with him, he is not our God
and little confort to come in a ftrait to a.
God that we Renounced in our profperi-*
ty or never took to be our God, ho Faith
in fuch Fraycrs it is much better Praying
in 'Da'vhVs condition in faith, under a Co-
venaftt Relation to God, Tfal CX1X 94.,
Lord I am thine fave thou me, if there be
one in all the World that thou will fave
it will be they owen, fuch an Ojue I am
Lord I am thine, fave thou me, I belive
Ifhou will do it.
Fifthly when may a time or Seafon be
called a fit time to renew publick'iy our
National Covnar.t with God, anfwer firft"
in General its ay time to lienew it as oft
as we break it, unles we be reiolved to fend
the bell way without God we can, but,
wo, wo to that People that are without
God in the World; but more particularly
there are thefe 5. Proper Seafons for Perfons
and Nations -to renew their Covenant with
God, 1. I» time of Danger when we moft
flee from our cruel Brethren, for our Life,
thus Jacob Gm. XXVIII 20. 21. When
he is flying for his Life from the Face of
his Brother Ek%\ he Vowed that the Lord
,- ' - Jhould
f 1*5 }
ihould be his God, fo we flying from the
JFacc of our cruel Brethren who have pub-
Lckly broken their Covenant wjth God, ought
now to enter Covenant, and to Vow a.
Vow that the Lord lull be our God efpe-
cially when the Danger is greater for we
are flying for the Life of our Souls 2. it is
a fit Seafon and opportunity to Renew
our Covenant with God when we are
reda£led to a Wiidernefs condition fome
not only not having Churches to Preach
in but alfo Scarfe a Holl to fct their Head
hi but another Man's Hofe; So did Ifrtd
in their Wildernes condition, T)eut V 2,
The Lord our God nudeja Covenant with
us befides the Covenant that he made with
us at Horcbi fo this being our prefent con-
dition to covenant with God, now is not
only to do duty, but to do it in the proper
nick of time its not now to corne too
flioon before the Egg be hatched nor, to
Longfom when the Birds are flowen but in
the right Seafon, and every thing is beauti-
full in its Seafon, 3. Its a proper Seafon
and opportunity to renew our Covenant
with God when the Lord's wrath is threat-
ned againft us for Sin, or lying on us al-
ready, 2. Cbro. XXIX 10. "God's Wratk
was gone out againft Ifrael, for their Sin,
and they fall on this way of Removing it
let us enter into a Covenant that his firce
Anger may be turned away his wrath is
gone
( 126 )
gone forth agamic us in taking away the
Ark and the priveledges of the Nation, and
in fending a Curfc with, and Mailing the
ordinances Where they are in purity, in giv-
ing Minii'rers that fad comiffion, ]fa Vi 8.
9, io. Preach the Hearts of this People
hard, and where iha.ll we look but we fee
evident Tokens of his Anger, therefore
Jet us enter in Covenant with God, that
his feircc Anger may be turned away 4.
When we make Sinful pa£xions with People
of Corrupt Religion, like ibeicEzra X 2.
3. We have Sinned in taking fliange Wives
of the the People, now therefore let us make
a Covenant to put them away and the
Children of thefe mixed Marriages fpake
half the Longuge of Ifiael and half the
Languge of Aftodod fohave we made a Co-
venant with a People of different and cor-
rupt oppinions and our Minifters Prayes
half in the Languge of Scotland, half "of
England^ and have amixed Religion half
of Presbytry half Prelacy, fuch times as
thefe are proper Scafons, 10 renew our
Covenant with God, and ali of them arc
met together in this fad day of perplexity
from the Lord of Rolls in our valley of
Villon 5. when the Lord gives gracious de-
liverances to his People from their Ene-
mies, as here in the lext, they are comirg
home from the Babyloniih Captivity, then
JJkd and Judah go' together to fcek the
Lord
( I27 )
Lord their God, faying let us enter into
a lure Covenant with God, this 1 fear fayes
that the Reviving at the Revolution was
not a delivery from our captivity, Since
tho we had broken our Covenant, with
God, yet had neither Heart, Hand nor Ho-
ncitay to do it, and a fad Reproof to thefc
that did it not.
Sixthly wherein doth the ferioufnes and
integrity of the Heavenly Souls, appear in
coming back to Renew a broken Covenant
with God, Anfwer, in doing as thefc honeft
Covenanters did, i. Joyn together in going
about the Work whatever dirlerancei were
among them before, the ten Tiibes that were
feperated to Caife. and Devil Worfhip, befor,
and Judah that long refine the true Worfhip
they both lay alkie their factions, <k Labour
'to put away all the Sins that had made the
divifion, axidfplfrael and Jvdah gotogzther*
% Doas they did making a holy Progreffe
and promotion, what are they doing I Are
they laying or fitting fall, Reafoning and
difputing about the matter, no, no they
are no Slugards, they are advancing, and
letting forward in Reformation ay &f ay going
puting away the other Sin,- ay doing the
other duty, and fetting about the other
geice of Reformation ay going, go ye a^
they did, <k God fend you good fpeed to
day, and favour in the Sight of the man
Qirift Jefus, with whom ye are to renew
your broken Covenant, and grant yon
Gracs
( 125 ) .
Grace to go from ftrength to ftrength, till
every one of you appear at laft before the
Lord in a melting Heavenly Covenanting
frame.
3. Come as they did with a Heavenly
melting frame, they are going weeping, O |
that the way may be called Bcchim, the
place, or path of weepers for fo might
their way be called it was all bedewed
with their tears weep one thefe account, i.for
all Sins againft God and wrongs done to
Chrift Zecb XII 10. Lookon him whom
ye have peirced ' and mourn, that there
may be a great Mourning amongft you,
like the mourning of Hadad drimmon, in the
valey of megiddon,every one for his own Sins
and for all the abominations of all Ranks,
efpeciallv for abounding Perjury, and
breach of Covenant with God 2. Mourn
as they did, for the great fhamc they had
fallen under by that Sin, Jer. XXXI 19-
After I was Inftrudtcd 1 fmote upon my
thigh, I was aftiamed yea even Con-
founded, becaufe I did be are the P^eproach
of my Sinful! Youth, and the Lord fays
of fuch penitents 1 have Surely heard
Epbriaw, bemoning him felf he is my dear
Son, my pleaiant Child I will finely have
mercy upon him. 3. Weeping for Joy
and Love to Chrift, who had Loved tfiem
out of Sin, and mifery, like that Womau
JLukt VII 37, And behold a Woman m
t!*a
( I2p )
the City which was a Sinter, wlen Jhe knrh
that Jefis fat at Meat in the Houfe, flood
behind at his Ft et Weeping, ard legan to itoajh
his Feet with Tears, and to wipe item with
the Hairs of her Head, and Kiffed lis Feet,
and anointed them with Ointment, vcrf. 47.
A.nd her Sins -which were ?nany were for gixen,
for Jhe loved much, would ye not covet to
be mfucha Frame as this Woman? would
ye not covet to win as far ben in Religion,
and Communion with God, would ye not
covet to have as free and full a Pardon ; fee
then if ye can win to this Heavenly and
Melting Frame to love CHRIST, until!
you weep again for joy. N
* 4. They came back to renew a Broken
Covenant, with an Holy accurat Scrutanie,
and fearch after GOD, they Jhall go and
feek the LORD their GOD 5 It is not
they fhall go and feek home to Canaan a-
gain, it is not they fhall go and feek to build
the Temple again, it is not they fliall go and
feek Heaven : What lliall they feek then f
they fliall feek the LORD their GOD, if
they were a Flock of Swine, the fwiil .of
Canaan would ferve them, if they were a
pack of Cheats and formal Hypocrites the
Stately Temple would have been fought by
them, and reflcd in it when they had found
it, boafting of it ; The Temple of ijbe< Lord,
We Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord
arethefe: If they had been a paclcof-Igno-
R ramufe^
( f& y -
amuies, or fo many Heathen jBalaam, that
thought a Life without Holinefs, and a Hea-
ven without GOD would have done their
turn, and they would have fought principal-1
jy after thefe three. But they are a Compa-
ny of Single, Sincere, Heavenly, Heart-'
wrought People, that kens better Things,-
and that can be put off with nothing but
GOD himfclf: Therefore they go to feck
the LORD their GfOD,forif dnCethey have
film they have them all, his Prefcnce with a-
People or Per ion, turns a Wildcrneis into a
Cznaa-i, a Mcif--i:ook, or a Know-fide into a
Heaven. •GV % . iB. \6, 17. Jacob had lyen at
a cold Kncw^Side all Night, arid his
Head upon an hard Stone, yet having GOD
wkh him, lie fays, Where am Inovo t this is
■m other. Lux the Houfe of GCZ), the Sulurbs
rjid Gates of Glory, they wiJl reft no where
till they find the Lord their God, they go
and feel; the Lord their God, and when they
find the Lord their God, they will not go a
Foot farther, but fay with Tiavid, rP(aL
CXVI. 7. Return mm to thy RefiO my Souk
Cant. II. 3. I fat down under his Shadowy
nsoitb great delight, Why r* the Soul is come to
its Center now, it could never reft but iiill
Graviiat to ii<> Center, before as Waters do
to the Sea, and if they fticetwith any llop
hythe way, 1 . •, ftill gravitat toward their
Center, till 1 come t|ie Impediment,
break ^-,t and run with the
more
( 131 )
more Impetous Force, to the Center, and if at
any Time he be to fend them an errand, they
irefufe except he go with them, Ex. XXXlil.
15. Except thy T*re fence go vsitb us cany us mot
■hence, not a Foot they go, not a Word they
jfpeak, but it is all to leek the Lord their Goc£>
with Panting and earneit Deiire, as Job.
XXIII. 3. 0 that I knew where 1 might find
him\ I would come near, even to r.is &cat*
Life, much Luck and Liberty is going about
his Hand, but no Luck to be had no where
- elfe, y/i/.LXXIII. 24.25. Wbomf or what
have I in Heaven but Tfhee^and then -h nor. e in
all the Earth ihat I defire he fide "Thee ; i hey
go to feek the Lord theirGod,ay they feek,ancl
ay they go, ay they go, and ay they ieek ;
happy They, for they fliall find, Prov. Vlil.
34.. 'Bleffed are they that feek for they /ball find,
5. They comeback ieeking the Lord their
God, with great earneftnefs, not feignedly
nor carelefly, no, they let about it work
like, heartie like, finding like, now their
Faces are to the Wark their Faces are Zio*-
ward, not like many now lying under the
great guilt of a broken Covenant with God,
and they will hold up a .Diicourfeaboi.it Re-
newing and Keeping Covenant with God,
and it were the better it were renewed, theli
we would have brave Days, and then ru»
ckyly and join in Communion 'with the break-
ers and abjurers af it, but will they be a£
the pains to fet their Faces out of their wart^i
K.2
( J?2 )
Neft £o fetch Minhters that ftand by it*
and renew it, and join with us, and fet their
Faces to the Work, no, yea inch MinUtets
ihall not fee their Face, tho' they come to
their very Dors, and yet I cannot wonder
enough at it, they have the Coniidence when
Trouble comes to cry to God for help, what
if God fay to them as once he did to the like
of them, Jer II 27. TtJeytunttp me the 'Back
and not the Fate, and yet in the "Time of their
"Trouble they -will, fay arife and five us, if ye
were but as earneitto be in Covenant with
Go i as to be in a good Mealing, and as ear-
ned to keep every Article of it, as to keep
your Horfe or K in, your Face would be to
lion to God, and his Covenant but being at
beft, think what ye will, of a Galio temper
that cares for none of the fc Tilings, ye talk
olZion; God and his Covenant wirh your
Back on all the Three ; 0 1 face about Man,
face about Woman, come to Zion asking the Way,
with your Faces thitherward : It fets you not
to fpeak of Zion, and God's Covenant, you
look not Work-like, your Backs are on Zion
and God's Covenant , come to Zion and your
Faces thitherward.
6. They came back to renew their broken
Covenant with great Humility, denyed to
their own Wifdpm. willing to receive Inftruc-
(km from all that faces the right Airth. O
qub&they! Is this the way to Zionf They
thevask at thefe Lelow tliemfelves in Grace
( 133 )
and Experience ; as the Spoufe of the
Daughters of Jerufalem, defiring their help xo
get a meeting betwixt Chrift and her, Cant.
V. 8. 1 Charge you 0 'Daughters of Jerufa-
lem, if ye fit Chrifi tell him my Condition.
They ask at Minifiers, Cant. 111. 3. I
went 10 the Watchmen to ischom 1 faid,
faw ye him whom my Soul l&veth. They ask
at God himfcif, Cant. I. 7. SkUb me 0
thou whom my Soul krveth, where is bonny Zioc,
where thou feeds the Souls of thy Teople, with
a Feafl of fat Things full of Marrow, not like
fome fo puffed up, that they think they
are able enough to teach Minifters, not like
thefe that are carelefs whether they get an
.Anfweror not, likeT//V, JohnXVTiL 38.
that asked what is Truth, and went out,
and waited not for an Anfwcr, or thefe
Hypocrites, Ezek. XXXIII. 31. They hear
thy Words hut they will not do them, for their
Heart goeth after their Co-vet oufnefi. O they
are Humble, Serious, fenfible of their Ignor-
ance, Crying, Light Lord, Truth Lord, Lord
find forth thy Light and, thy Truth; and let
them Guide me, and bring me to thy Holy Hill
where thou dwell eft, Lord guide me in coming to
God, and in the weighty Work of Covenanting
with him, for 1 am a poor \Brutiflo Ignorant,
and unskilfull "Body in this Work.
7. They came back to renew their broken
Covenant effectually, taking thefe means that
will prove effectual for doing the Thing,
and
( 134 )
and removing all Diifercnces among them-
ielvcs, how io? they begin with God, to
get the breach betwixt him and thcmfelves
done away, and then Union among taern-
ielves natively follows, for the Lord's De-
parture, and breaches go together, Hof VI.
14. I even I will tear and go awayy Rent your
Cbutcb, and Jet you all in Factions, and tea^ve
you So joining to the Lord and to one a-
nother, . go Haiid in Hand, let us joyia our
ielves to the Lord, Hof. VI. 1. Qome and
hi us pyn ourfehes to the Lord, let us return
to the Lord our God, for he hath torn and he
{mill heal us, he hail: j //J I ten and he will bifid us
up, let us be glewed to tne Lord and one a-
npther. O Sinners! be perl waded it is our
breach of Covenant wkn God, that hath
.made lb many breaches among our Lives, as
appears by the Covenant renouncing Oaths
^amongus, that hath mightily divided us, and
we will never be unites! untlil we renew our
Covenant with God sgun, and curled be
the divider thzt hath broken us, and for a
chat of the World, a bit of Pride, or un-
written Traditions, or upon the account of
Church renting Paths, or Promifes, fhall
this Day ita'ad in ihe Way of a bleffed Union,
let your Uifc Oaths and Covenants go,
break thefe and renew, and Hand by
your Covenant with (rod, and we will join
with all of you on thefe and on no other
Terms, becaufe Union in Sin is nothing elfe
but
c 135 r
tut a Confpiracy againft Chrift; I charge'
andobteftyouasyou will anfwer to GOD,
at the great Day on your Peril, come joyn
your felves to the LORD, and tc one a-.
nother, in a perpetual Covenant never to be
forgotten.
8. They came back to renew their broken-
Covenant with God, fickerly with Heart
Deilre to make ficker and fa ft Work, that
they play not iaft and loofe with God
any more, no, no, the Covenant mull be both
ficker with God, and fickered upon their
own Memories never to be broken or for-
gotten, a perpetual Covenant never to be
forgotten, it is not fafe after Vows to make
Inquiry, this God {hail be our God for ever
and ever, if the Devil and all the World,
and our own ill Hearts had Sworn the contra-
ry, 1 will never forget thy Precepts, 1 will
never forget the Inititutiong of thy Houfe, I
will never forget that I am God's, God for-
bid, will I forget my Love, my Heaven, my
Happinefs, no ficker Work, Lord ficker
Work, O Lord Godot Ijr a el keep this upon
the Thoughts and Imaginations of rr.y Heart
for ever.
The -]ih and laft Thing is to tell you what
you are to do in this Act of Covenanting,
when you are to engage with the Lord : In
the firft Place, you mult renounce and put a-
way all falfe God's, let not Satan, Sin nor
the
the great Men of the World be your God's,
let not their finfuJl Commands be your Rule,
either in Matters of God's Ho life, or of
your own Conventions, fee for your Sou]?,
that there be none of them left,dq as repenting
Ifracl did when coming Home to God, Ho].
XIV. i . O Ifrael return to the Lord thy God,
lfmeV$ Anfwer is, What ha-ve I to do tsoith J-
dohy any more y take away all Iniquity and re-
ceive us grarioufly, for I know that one Sin
one Idol, one Devil retained will marr the
whole Bargain, the bowing in the Houfe of
one Rimon, will give the whole work a
-backfet, Jofma binding Ifrael to God in Co-
venant, the iirft Thing he commands is, Jo.
XXIV. 14. Tut away the firange God's which
are among you, 1 . Away with the Idol God
Covetoufnefs, a SwinifhDivil, ay grunting af-
ter the World, Crying Who will Jhew us any
good? what Jhall I eaty orwhatjhal; lUrh/k't
or vjherewithall Jhall I be chathed ! This
AS'wlnifli Devil made Judas fell the Saviour,
for Thirty Pieces of Silver ! and the Mini*
Hers of the Times, to fell the Church for
Steepends. 2. Away with the Idol of Pro-
phanity, a filthy Devil ay hading you
through the Mire of Sin, and defiling and pud-
ling you with the Cum and Sut of Hell, fee
there be no Prophane Perfon among you like
Efau. 3. away with Idol Pride a hauty De-
vil, ay holding you upon flipry Places, ay at
the tumbling over the brink of the Bottom-
les
r 137 )
fcs p% making yon overvalue youf teU
yes. 3.nd undervalues others, Luke XVIII
11. With a God, I thank thee, that I
am not like other Men, fuch a pharafaick
Spirit Readly ftick ay by a Corrupt
Kirk, and if at fome times they come to the
Mountains to hear faithful Miniiters, they
are ay finding fault with their Do£trine, or
Life, as thefe proud Pharifes did with
Chrift, he is a Man Gluttonous arid a
Wine biber, he is not of God, for he
keepeth not the Sabath day, he fpeaksay
againft the Church, and makes void the
traditions of the Elders, are you proud Souls
ill pleafed with Faithful Miniiters, the
Lord is as ill pleafed with you God re!-
lifts the proud 4. Away with Idol Decit
a cheating Divel, ay fetting your talk, and
whinging at Duty, and yet cheating the
People of God, and underminding his work
profeiTmg what never yet entered into your
mind to perform, 5, Away with Idol fear*
a Dead Swumph Divel, ay crying the Ma-
gistrates will be on us aadfleegus out of
our witt, out of thy witt may the like
of the go, and then thou will not Do fo
much ill to the work of God, dead Calf,
I tell thee they are very ill Magiftrats*
that are not better then thou art, Ifa. VIII
12, Fear not their fear, they are all .living
that the prefent Magifirats have flain, yet for
i&iag true to God, what fear* thee t 6. A-
f 138 (
way with Idol Malice that flandering Di-
vel, ay fpeaking ill of them, whofe fli
thou art not worthy to carry alter thettij
either for parts or piety, and all this becauie
they will not follow, thy example a brave
bargain indeed, follow thee, who follow
thee to thy Family feldom or never is the Wo r-
fliip of God there, follow thee to thl
place of Worihip, If there be a Societf
in Scotland that have overthrown the work
of God, there lands thou ! follow thee to
the Ale Houfe, there thou Curffes lyes,
Swears, Drinks they felf Drunk, & makes
a mock of Godlinefs and the Profeffors
thereof follow thy example no fault Indeed
1. Pet. IV 4. That thinks it ftrat/ge, that
Men run not 'with you to the fame excefs of
riot, Speaking evil of \hem, wondring at them
as an Hen that hath hatched Patridge,Eggs
when they flee away, being of a more Noble
kind, then her own, Chikens and many
other graccles gates ye go, till at laft Sin
being finiihed bringeth forth Death.
2, You moft promife in Chriftsftrength,
fincerely to keep or have a refpeft
to the heal Law, of God, thefe that
Commands to ad for Chrift, as well as thefe
that Commands to refrain from doing evil
Jfa. I. 18. And that ye are as willing to
go to Gethfemany, and accompany Chri ft
in his agony's as to go to Mount tabor, to
enjoy a waff of Heaven, iu his company',
to
( 139 )
to fuffer as well as to reign with him,
and that thou iTiall do fo with all they
itrength and Soul always even to the End
Neh. X 29. They entered into an Oath,
and into a curfc, to keep all the commande-
ment of God.
3. You muft engage with all the He art,
to lland to the whole work of Reforma-
tion, fro:n Popery and Prelacy, as it was
at its height in the Year 1649. Contained
in the Scriptures, Conieilion of Faith, Ca-
techifms Confeirion of Sin and Engagment
to Duty, Covenants National and Solemn
league, and that you ihall have a refpect
to all the Articklesof the Covenant, engaging
to Maintain to your Power, the Priveledges,
and Soveraignity of the Kingdom, and
Scriptural Government, Doctrine, Dis-
cipline, Worfhip and Goverment of the
Houfe of God, Tf. 1 1 9. I have Sworn and
I will perform, that I will keep theyRighteous,
Judgement's 8c that you lhall do your ut-
termoit to get the prefent Church reformed,
from this mangled Religion, all mixed
with reformation, overturning Inftitutions,
both in its, Goverment Difcipline, Doctrine
and Woriliip, Oaths and Patronages and
thatby difcountenanccing them &£ otherwayes,
this is the ajhtaroth of the time put away
the ftrange God's and this curfed ajhtaroit?
from among you.
5. You moil moll promife to give your-
S 2, fclves
( UO )
felves wholly to the Lord, Soul and Body,
goods and Relations, to be at his fcrvice,
and that if he call you to it you fhall leave
all and follow him, and not lore ynm
Lives to the Death, and you may blefil
God if he take them off your Hand, and
fay as ManoarTs Wife, if the Lord had
been amind to Kill us he would not have
accepted a facrifice at our Hands, beg that he
xnay take away all Iniquity, and receive
you graeiouily, and take Heaven and Harth
to witres that you are his, for you have
Joyjied your felves to the Lord in a per*
petnal Covenant never to be forgotten i
And if ye do fo the Lord will give him-*
fclftoyou, his Spirit, his Son, iiis purchafe,
his Heaven, Grace here Glory hereafter:
And will fay I aril the Lord thy Cod, the
holy one of Ifniel they Ssyhbvet, come a-
way then th^ Artickfe are (Jw . . >& God
hath Subicribed live Covenant, in theie
Word-, I am the Lord th; . God foe holy
one Gt.2fr,iel they Saviouf, take thou the
Pen and fet down thy Name in aes fair
a charafter as thou cmft, % let that PropheiV
be fulfilled of you this day Ifa. XLIV.
5. One flrJl fay I am the Lords, and
another (hall call fctmfelf by the Name of
"facoh, and another ihall Subscribe with
his Hand to the Lord, and furname him-
ielf by the Name of jfrarf, O Let it be/o
Gods ifracUts indeed in whom are no Guile,
who
f Hi )
who fhall not deal falfly in his Covenant
and the God of Heaven help yon, and fet
his Seal to it, let it once pafs the Subscrip-
tions and the Seals, and Seal up your
Souls to the day of Redemption.
The Lord Blcfs Sec.
Then after Prayer &2>/.
the Covenants National and Solemn legue
were Read, and then the Confeffion of Sins
and Engadgmcnts to Duty in fo far as was
concerned us in our Low capacities, and
keeping within our ftations.
CONFESSION of SINS
and
ENGADGEMENTS to DUTY'S
TKeReafons why we the fmall Rem*
nant of the once famous and Glorious
Church of Scotland, when in her Robes
in the Year 1649. Do Renew our Cove-
nants with God, in our doole weed, and
Widowes Garments, tho' neither the Magi-
flrats, Minifters, nor EvgUnd do Joyn
with us, are as folio weth.
Firft when the Three Kingdoms entred in
a Solemn Legue with God, the Three King-
doms, were not three different parties, but
like Ifrael and Judab had Joyned them-
felves
( 142 )
felves together, to be the one party and
the great y-ehouab was the other parte
and tho' England and Ireland have pi;
the Harlot, yet let not Scotland otfe
and althought the molt part of Scotland I
have broken the Oath of the Covenant,
and taken a Covenant, abjuring Oath, yet j
let not them all offend, for in the great I
Defection in Elijah's days when the great
part of the Nation had broken their Cove-
nant with God, yet there were Seven
Thoufand in Jfrael that would not break
nor bow a Knee to Baal, let Scotland and
England break their Oath, and Change the
Do&rinc, WoriKip, Difcipline, and Govern-
ment of the Church as they will, yet we
in divine ftrength, will keep thefe pure In- '
ftitutions, as we fware, fo let us pay to the
Lord our God.
2. Bccaufe thefe facred Obligations are
fo publickly broken, and violated by all
Ranks, efpecially Minifters by their Re-
iterated publickly abjuring of it, and could
not under pain of perjury be filent when,
they Swear away, the Right Doctrine, Dif-
cipline Woriliip and Government of the
Houfe of God, but Swear to maintain, and
defend it, in our private ftation with all the
flrength we could, let us as publickly Renew
our Covenants as they have violated them,
and that in the fame Year and Moneth they
have done fa
3 * Becaufc
( H3 )
3- Becaufe this Generation js like to for-
they are in Covenant with God, and
* ■turn Ignorant of what National and Solemn
Covenanting with God is, and the way
and manner of going about it.
4. Becaufe fome whither out of Ignorance
or Selfifimes, or for what other end I can-
not tell, pretend to the Renewing of thefc
Covenants, and put in fuch Impo Abilities;,
and Irritating expreflions in them contrary
to the Word of God, as is enough to i rri-
t at Superiors and make thefe that are unf kil-
full to Miftake what a Covenant of this
Nature with God is.
■ 5. Becaufe many well Meaning People
are readie to think the Covenants a thing
differnt from the Bible, 8c alfo the Confeffion
of Faith, as fome of their Learnedft Lead-
ers askeed at my felf, how many Rules
have we to walk by, I anfwered, one
only, the word of God. He faid he thought
we had, moe the Confeffion of Faith and
.Covenants I Anfwered then our Catechifm
is nor right, which faith the Word of God
is the cnly rule to Diredt us &c. for we
abhorc Popery that fays there are 2. Rules vizx
The commands of the Word of God, and
the Commands of the Church of which they
fay their are Six principal ones, but let them
and them make as many Rules as they
will, to us there is but one rule the Word
of God, to rule us, Confeffion of faith, Co*
veiwntt,
( i44 )
Tenants, Commands of the Church and all,
for that is a compleat National Covenant,
Neb. X 29. They entered into an Oath
and a Curfe to keep all the Commandments
of God,
c~. That we ftandingup for and cleaving
to the Lord he may abide with us and be
our defence 2, Chro. XV 1. The Lord
is with us while we are with him.
7. Becaufe although we will not go
out of our ftations, to meddle with the
Magiftrats part, or Reform England or
maintain the Rights of the Parliament of
Scotland ; yet we fliall do all we can within
our ftation we fhall make a fincere mint
to keep our own part, and do all we can.
by Prayer and Supplication to God, to
Endue the Hearts of Magiftrates, with his
Grace, make them favourers of his Intereft
& bleffings to thefe Lands, and that he would
Reform England, and Ireland from thefe
many corruptions in their Church Confti-
tutions and refufc to countenance thefe
that are one the other fide in their S*oppef-
ftitions, and ihall encourage one another
in perfuing the Ends of thefe Covenants,
as far as it is poilible for a People in our mean
capacity's can do, and that the rather be-
caufe the Kingdom of God comes not
with observation, bl mighty Kings and
Armies Ez. IV 6. Hut by -working {Grace
in the Heart, by mean & timtefigtitie hfirumenu,
C Us J
^ifo Z^.f^ def[ijtd the day of [mail TTtfVgfj
not by Might nor by "Power, hut by my &p»>
faith the Lord of Hofts. And the Lord
:iieth the bale things of this World, to
xon found the Things that are Mighty, aiicl
tlie Fooliih Things of the World to confound
the Wife.
8. Became wc cannot dwell with a fife
Cqnfcience in our own Koufes, and Chriii
pat to the Boor of his Houfe, fliall we put
orf our Coat and not put- it on, ftiall we flick
at all the reproaches that are call upon us, in
jrifing and taking in the Beloved, when he
■ftands without and fworn to the Doors,
no, let us do as ZW d, PfaL CXXXII. i, 2,
3,4. Lord remember "David and all UsA.fftiS±
(tons, how he [ware to the Lord and Doited td
the mighty God of Jacob, Surely 1 will hat
come into the Tabernacle of my Houfe nor reft
in my "Bed, J will not give flee p to mine Eyes
nor (lumber to tnincEye4ids,untillI bank found $
flacefor the Lord an Habitation for the ^Mighty
God of Jacob, Scotland will thrive no worie
that the God of Heaven have an Houfe in
it, let thfcm all lay wha: they will.
And that God may take up Houfe with
us, and be no more like a Stranger in the
Land, or a w [an that tumeth a-
fide to tarry but lor Pardon
all our Sins and the breaches of his Cove-
nant and bleii us in th : Work.
T Y/e
f l46 )
We wil freely and with deep Humilia^
tio,- ana forrow of Heart confeft w<
dealt: perfideoufly in God's Cov: oth
in tfle National Covenant and the
tgue ill all the *s of it, not one
Joror Title oftjii jc ceeped, a id the
fore we are lying under that heavy Thr<
liing, Ezech. 17. Shall they eficpe that do
thtfe Things, JhalT they break my Covenant 1
he delivered.
As to the firft Article where we e
and vowed to God, to prefer vc the true-
formed Religion in all the Patfs t] :
the Church of Scotland, in its Purity of Doc-
trine, Worihip, Difcipline and Government
that we S ware, but how have we performed,
alas we have giveii yea Sworn over the
Church Government to, the Magiiirates
brought up in another Religion, and there-
fore Doctrine, Difcipline, Worihip, and all
are Corrupt, as we proved on the Fai£-Dayr
and hence the Lord hath gone far from his
Sanctuary, and we lamenting the Glory is
departed from Scotland, for the Ark of God
\% taken, we vowed alio to the litre
our Power, to reform England and heioxd;
ill Doctrine, Difcipline, Wpriliip and Go-
vermerit according to the Word of God, and
heft reformed Crnrfches, but alasma$y with
1 Hands in an Antifcriptural Covenant
■ ,.,: Qverthi • de-
. the inter moil of our Power, the
once
( 147 )
once Glorious Church of Scotland^ and are -
bringing her itep by ftep, in the neareft con-
formity to the worft reformed Churches, in
Doctrine, Discipline, Wcri'kip and Gover-
meiit, ftrengthning the Hands of che Engiijh
Church iniier Corruptions.
And in the id Article e Swear t© extir-
tirpate Popery aid Prelacy, and the Go-
verment by Bifkops, Arch-Bidops, Deans,
&Tc. But how pera dec ally have we dealt in
this alio, and Minifiers chemiel~ves have
Sworn to the Goverment oi Evgland, Go-
verned by thefe abjured Ranks of Men, ttiby
have alio Sworn to maintain Kings and
Qjueens in their Royal Dignities, and this
*ing an Engli/b Oath, made for the
Defence of the Church of England, by Pre-
lates and others, and it being the L«aw or*
Engbndy that the Kings of it are Kca'J
Church, and fo they make Kings and Q
civil Popes, for they by Royal Dignify un-
derhand, another Thing than we do. In Scou-
land by it we under itand, the King's jiili
Power and Greatnefs in things civil over the
Kingdoms : Bit by his Royal Dignity they
undcriland in England his Head-ihip and
Power over the Church of God, and that he
is Supream over all Perions, and in all
Caufcs as well Civil as Ecclefiaitick here
lay the Poyfon and Perjury of Scots Mmi-
fters in Swearing the i/? Oath ^ and in the
^d Oath they Swear to defend the Government
T2 to
? T48 )
to the fcttermoft of their Bpwe$ thus alfo
is an Effglfjh Oath deviled, and lhipofed by
Biihops, the Lords Spiritual aiwJ their Autho-
rity, nowhere lyes the Deceit, Foyfon and
Perjury ofthisOathin Scathndi That&'dfr
land takes up the Government in one fenfc,
and Et-gland in another, by the Goverrncnt
Scots Men nnderftand the Civil Govermefit
of the Realnefs by Juft andtawfall Magi-.
.ftrats; but byGoverment the Engli/b under-
Hand the- Goverment of Church and State,
both by the Civil Magiftrates, and his Crea^
tours Biiliops, and Areh-Bi/hcps. So no pot
libility for a Scots Presbyterian or Miniiler
to Swear an Etfgtijte Oath in thefe Terms,
without Manifcfi Perjury and breach of Cove-
nant, for the WordGoverment in the Month of
?,x\K»zi;jhman and the Word Government in the
Mouth of a ScotfmaV) can no more agree, than
as the Proverb is, than the Devil and Holy
Water can agree. In this Article we are
bound alfo by Solemn Oath to God, to put
away Sehifm, Herefy and Divifion, and
whatibever is contrary to found Doctrine.
But alas! what Divifions are made in the
Lands, by receiving new Innovations, into
the Houfe of God, both contrary to the Doc-
trine that we have received and to the Oath
that we have Sworn, and what pains is taken
by xmfaithfull Mini 11 en to put away thefe
feat are againfi Siphifm and Herefy, and
( 149 )
maintaining of found Doctrine feverall A els
Eaft in Courts, and Curfcs and Anathema's,
cllowcd Out in Pulpits againft thefe that will
pot join with an apoltatizing Church inSchifiii
Penury and Divifion, and in the mean time,
receiving to be ruling Elders: fuch- as have
been Schiimaticks., and accepted of Tells, un-
lawful Oaths and Bonds, .
And in the Third Article we Swear with
our Lives and Eirates to preferve and main-
tain the Rights of the Parliament, Sincere*
ly, Really and Ccnfianrly,in our Several Vo-
cations, and the Liberties of the Kingdom,
but we acknowledge to our own great fhame
vc have given away with cur Hands
both the Kightb of the Parliament, and Li; : ci-
ties and. Sovcraignities of the Kingdom,
and thefe are f wallowed up in an Erglijh
Epifcopal Parliament, and Confiitutior 7° in
this Article we alfo promised, to deienc the
Kings Majefly and Authority, in the Defence,
and Prefer vation of the true Religion, but
alas with Perjury is this Land guilty of in
this that there are contrary Oaths and Prac-
tices taken, many have defended murdering
Kings, iliedding the Blood of the Saints, and
overthrowing Reformation, and Liberties of
the Kingdom and Swearing to defend them
in fo doing, and infteadof limiting them to
a juft Power, have allowed them an un-
ynit Power of intruding into the Houfe of
God, and given the Royal Priviledges, and
Prerogatives.
( m )
Prerogatives of Chrilt and his Church to
them : Which is no lefs than to fay to Chrift,
we will not have this Man to Reign over
them. So that Ads of Parliament are im-
posed, and received in many Things in (lead
of and contrary to the Word of God, which
Commands every Thing in the Hon fe of the
God of Heaven, according to the Mind of
the Go i of Heaven, but though we neither
mtghtnor will do any thing that tends to De-
miniih the Kings juft Power and greatnefes,
yet wc deny that he hath a juft Power to Im-
pofe on the Church, 'Acts and Oaths con-
trary to the Word of God, Fundamental
Laws of the Kingdom, and upright Cove-
nanting with God.
In the 4//; Article we faithfully promifed
to endeavour the discovering of all fuch,
as are or have been incendiaries, or evil In-
fcruments in hindering Reformation of Re-
ligion •, but alas by our Intelligenters and o-
thers, we arc horridly guilty in difcovering
in order to Pttnlihnient, the Advancers of the
true Religion, and many are and have been
guilty of Dividing the King and the God-
ly, from one another, and alio joining King
and Subject together in a way quite contra-
ry to the Covenant, that Malignants
might not be brought to condign Puniih-
ment.
And in the 5/J Article we promifed to
keep Peace and Union with England, ac-
cording
f »5l J
cording to this Covenant, whereas that Vm*
on is broken, and an Union made with Eng-
land, for the total Extirpation of Reforma-
tion it being one of the Fundamental Ar-
ticles of the Union, That the Epifcopal
Church of England fliall be preferved.
And in the 6th Article, we promifed accor-
ding to our Place?, and Callings ■, In the Com-
mon Caufe of Religion and Liberty and
Peace of the Kingdom, to defend a ndafM
them that join in this League and Covenant,
in the maintaining thereof, whereas we do all
we can, to Defrroy them, weaken their
Hands and break their Hearts. 2. That
neither will v/e fuffer our felves directly nor
indirectly by whatsoever Combination, Fer-
fwafion or Terrour, to be divided with
or from this Bleffed Union, whether
by making Defection to the contrary Part,
or to give our felves to a de tellable Indiffer-
ence and Neutrality in this Caufe : Where-
as to our great fhameboth Dire (31 y and In-
directly for fear of Manfome are quite gone
off to the contrary Side, and publick abjurcrs
of this Covenant fome turned to this abjured
IndirTerency, and neutrality, and cares for
none of thefe Things, fome combining by
Bonds, and unlawful engagments to break
and divide the People.
And One great fteafon of all this is, we
/e not Cordially doled with CHRI S T,
faith Chriitwith the Heart, when we lift up
our
( *52 )
our Hands to him, and have not walked
humbly and anfwerably to our Engagements,
but have fwelled in Pride retting bathe out-
ward Duty, in entring in Covenant with
God, conftaptly crying the Covenant of
Lord the Covenant of the Lord, therefore we
are left of God, to the Difcovery of our
Hyj :aufe of own Noble Privi-
ledges. • \ end diigrace before the World,
and hazard of the heavy, Wrath of God,
in Time, and Eternity, and now having
made Cbnfeffibn of thefe God Provoking,
Land Ruining, ' Conference Wafting Sins,
and deilring to ly in the Duft before God,
and mourn for thefe and all other Sins as the
Breach of the National Covenant, again!
Popery, and the civil power of Church
Men, whereas we let "up Popes at home, al-
fo farrendering our Goverment to the £i~
fiiops Gf England, to be Governours both in
Things Civil and Sacred ; and we do prom iie
in the fight of GOD, and Strength of Chrift,
to fotfake for our Parts thefe, and all other
our Abominations, and this Day to make a
Covenant wirh God t© put them away, that
the Lord may take away the Judgements
lying on, prevent the Judgements threatned,
reftore us to be a free Nation, and a pure
Church, and prevent and affift us in conten-
ding for the Truth untill that Time.
And became thereis an indifpenfible ne-
ceirity lying on 'all them, that would obtain
Mercy
Mercy to forfake Sin, with Deteftition as
well as to Confefs it therefore that the re-
ality and Sincerity of our Repentance may
appear, we do Sincerely .• rcfolve, and en-
gadge our felves to the Lord, only in the
Strength of Chrilt, who is the Lord our
Righteoufnes, for the Time, to come, care-
fully to avoid all thefe and other offences,'
whereof we have made Solemn and pub-
lick acknc/wledgement, and to hold out off,
trapes and Snares thereto Inducing^ and
to Teftify our Heavenly Mindedn'efs an4
the Sincerity of our Souls, and felf Denyal
and how Brouden our Souls are on Chrift
and his Interft, and that we may be made
ftrong in the Lord, and the. Power 6f his
might to performe our Promifes id God,;
we do this day with Heart and, Hand, lift up!
to God, in the Heavens,1 Renew for. our
Parts, in cmr ftations the Nationl Covenant/
and Solemn league, Promiflng in the. Me-
diators llrength to perform all the Duties
therein contained which we. are .oblidged,
in our feveral capacities, according' asr the.
fad Circumftances of our time calleth' for
and doeth' allow in the feveral articles
thereof^ ,, ^ . *f>?
, 2. Notwithitanding that a Number ofMenJ.
have Surrendered the Soveraignity of 6'uf
Nation, Rights of our Parliament, .not, , on-
ly againft this Covenant but alfo?. agalnft,
the will aiaol 6v £z the Belly of trie' greaf
U * Bod/
( *54 ) .
Body of the People, of this ancient King-
dom, and of all the Supplications, protelta-
tions and Endeavours of the Body of the
Nation,- of all Ranks, and periuafions, Nob-
les, Gentlemen Miniiters and People, and
alfo have Supplanted the Church of God,
and furrendered the Crown and Secpter,
and pure Inftitutkms of Chriffs freedom
Priviledges, Doctrine, Discipline, Worihip
and Goverment of the Church to our
Neighbours, yet notwithstanding all this
we lhall Maintain that the Church and
:Nation of Scotland ought to be a free
Church and Nation, and that we in our
Stations iliall do all we can, both by Sup-
plication to God, to make us fuch, and
keeping- at as great Diftance as poflTible,
from the betrayers, and Surrenders of out
Noble Priviledges, civel and Sacred, e-
fp'ecially corrupt Kirkmen, t'hat we lofs
not our Souls as well a* Church and
Kingdom, which at beaft are already gone.
4. That we ihall continue in declaring
our great DifatilYacYion, with this incor-
porating Union, that drains us offourfub-
ftance, ;and Subjects us to that Parliament
where 25. TreUty Sits in . civil Places',
contrary to the Word of God, and our
National Covenant, where all civell Places
of Church Men are abjured, as unlawful
and Contrary to the Reformation of the"
Church of Scotland, ever fihee it was Re-
formed1
formed from the Darknes of Topery, and
to all our Solemn Vows, to the Conterary
for fuch civel Places of Church Men, a-
grees Juft as well with the Church of Scot*
Unci, as light doth with Darknefs and the
Temple of God with Idols, and that we
ihall endavour and wreitlewith God, that at
laft we miy have fuch an Union with
England, as is agreed upon, and contained
in our Solemn league and Covenant, and
fliall carefully ihun whatfoever ftrengthneth
this Sinful Union, and difolveth our holy
Union with that Nation.
5. That this great truth may appear, that
thefe that aic beft Subje&s to Chrift or
beft Subjeds to the Magiftrat, according to
the command of Chrift, the great Law
giver of his Church, who hath commanded
us to Render to Csfar the things that are
Cufirs, and to God the thing's that are
God's and that true faying, that thefe
that are falfe to God, will never be true
to Man, falfe to God and true to no
Man, we declare and promife in the Sight
of God that we ihall conftantly Endevour,
to defend the King in his Juft power, and
Greatnes he defending us in our Religion
Rights and Pnviledges, and ihall herein
exercife our felves always, to keep a Con-
feience void of offence, both toward God
and tqward Man, that we may be able to
give wi(h a clear Confcience this Anfwer
V 2 tq.
I X56 )
$0 all that accufe us, to the Magiftrat we
are accufed being molt Innocent, for neither
againft Q&far nor againft our Nation, nor
againil the Temple have we done any
wrong. And that we are pot Sots, nor
Perfons to be fufpe&ed, that neither knows
Duty's of Religion, nor that it is our Duty
to Pray for the King and Rulers, till Di-
rections, and fet formes be lent us from Pre-
lats, not of our perfuafion, in our Neigh-
bour Land, But lhall Pray for King George
and all in Authority, that God, may Guide
them in fhe right way, both as they are
Rulers and "Chriftians, keep, them from,
doing any thing that may be hurtfull to
the Church of God, or Prejudicial to their
own Souls, and that they rnay get a Sight
of all their Sins, both as Magiftrats and
Chriftians, and that God may help them
to fet about the righting of whatfoever is
wrong, either m Perfon or Goverment that
God's Wrath may be averted, and God's
bleffing 'may be upon them and their Fa-
milies, and ppfterity, that God may give
them Grace here arid Glory hereafter,
make them and us mutual bleflings, and
Comforts to one another, and all other
petitions that the Holy Spirit fhall put in our
Hears, to ask for them, and if the holy
Ghofl dyt the Prayer, we both Pray fincerc-
ly, and willingly, and may have the bet-
ter Confidence to get a Gracious Anfwer,
but
but if we fivould, Pray in a let form, Im
pofcd upon us, under Pain of lofing a little
Money, it might both be fufpefted we were
not in earneit, and that the Lord would
have little regard to Compelled Prayer$
which are faid to be ill for the Soute,
we alfo Voluntarly engage to God* to obey
the prefent Rulers, . as far a? we would
obey Solomon if he were one the Throne
of Britain, and that is in all their Lawful
Commands, and nq further, for we would
have been oblidgedto have obey' & Solomon, in
helping to build the Temple, but not in
building high Places, for fuperftitious Worihip
nor are we oblidged to obey' fuch Coiu*
mand's from Ruler's as was given out for
Lifting of Six Moneth's Cefs, to bear Soul-
dier's Charges to overturn Reformation,
and Murder the People of God, when they
Declared with their own Mouth, that it
was Co : And \ye give Thanks to God,
that the Rulers Require nq fuch things
off us, tho' it were Juft with God for
pur Sins, to fet fuch over us, for if we
fliould' be ' unfaithfull to Man which is
leaft we would alio be unfaithfull to
*God which is greateft.
6. That we fhall difcountcnance Malig-
nants that bear ill will at the Reformati-
on of the Church of Scotland, and rent
the Church by their new Coined Oaths, and
Innovations on the one Hand wronging
GqI
( 158 )
God, and one the other Hand that fliake
off the Magiitrats Authority in things Law-
full, and that neither of thefe are any of
pur Communion, and that in Qur ftations
we ihall encourage fuch, as fear God and
keep his Covenant, and itick clQfs to one
another, and all of us to Jefus Chrift our
Saviour, only Supream King and Head of
his Church) and mutually defend one a-
jiorher in pursuing the Ends of this Co-
venant, and we mall wreftle at the Thron
of Grace that the Lord may Purge his
foor Church in Scotland, from Church be-
traying, difembling, and Cpvcnant breaking
flattering time fcrying Men : And that their
Places may be fupplied with valiant,
Faithfull at>le 'powerfull Miniiters of the
new Itflamenty who ihall feek the Salvati-
on not the Smiles of Men, and mail feek
the flock and not the ileece & we dolincerely
Declare, it is not Pride or vain Glory,
rewards or terrours of Men that makes us
now take this Oath ofGod upon us, but out of
a fenfc of our Duty, to God, and for his
Glory and the Zeal we have for the Houfe
qf God, and in hope of God's Mercy, that
when he Sees that Poor things like babes
that have no Pith, and calls 1^0 figure now
in the World, minting to put away the
Rubi/h, and lay a' Stone in the foundation
of his ruined Temple he may have pity
on us, and fend able Hands to compleat
* ' ' . -the
( 159 1
the Work and fulfill his Gracious PttariflS
I am Returned to Jerufalem in Scotland,
and my Houfe fliall be Built in it faith
the Lord, and that ht may not leave the
Land as he hath threatned, if there be but
ten in it that will not let him go, nor
Quit their . Covenanted God, and
we Intirely Renounce all carnal Ccrunfel
dhd confidence in the Fleih, and cafe the
whole weight of the Burden on the Lord,
the Lord Suftain us : And we beg that the
God of all Confolation, the Father of Mer-
cy's through our Lord Jefus Chrifr may
.Look Down upon us, and the Poor Ruin-
ed Condition of his Church, in favour,
help us to perform our Vows. Reftore to us
our whole priviledges civel and Sacred,
that according as the Years have beerr
wherein we have feen for row for thefe
great Lofes, fo the Lord may reftore both
again to us with Holines of Heart and
Life to the Glory of God and our Confu-
tation through Jefus Chrift Amen.
This being Read and a ihort Exhorta-
tion to the People fo confider the Work
in Hand and how they ought to go about
it The Door was caft wide open for all
£erfpns of whatever Perfwafions either m
the Houfe or field; to' lay hold on this
healing time, and mind what they had heard
in* the forgoing Sermon,- of Joyning to
the Lord, in Covenant ;& that was the eftcflii-
all
• f 16a )
all way to Joyn them among themfelvcs^
and heall our diviiions: And telling the
People what a Nob]e Priviledge they were
called to, to fet the Crown on ChriiVs
Head, for Covnanting Days are Chr ill's
Coronation Days, as was Typified in
Dvvid, thtf Covenanted with David and
Crowned him in' Hebron i And how of-
feniive it would be to God, to fee Per-
fons not to be at fo much pains,asto lay a finger
to the Crown,- to lift it up to this Glori-
ous Head, that they often Imploy in worfe
aftions: And how it would be an Evi-
dence of little Love to Chrift for all their
Profeifion, that when it came to the Choek,
yet they would not fet the Crown on his
Head, tho' he fhould never get a Crown, and'
crying again O cdme give him the Crown,
give him the Crown chearfully and Joy-
fully, Zech IX 9.' Rejoyce greatly 0 daughters
of Jerufalm. ;,behold they King cometb to
thee, harming Sd-vaiion, Can. Ill And lafl,
0! ghebim the Crown,ghe him theCroison, all
lovers of htm^ fee him Crowned, fee him take
Infeftment in Scotland, go forth now, even
now, 6 'Daughters ofZXon, fee the Crown
upon his Head, in the day of his Ejpowfah,
and the Gladnes of his Heart, and let all
the Daughters of Zion he Joyfull in their
King, and federal other Directions and cal-
ling on God for "Direction and acceptance.
THE
( t6i )
THE
OATH
OF THE
COVENANT,
As far as we in our Capacities could take
it) was aS followeth.
WE Solemnly promife, in the ftrength
of Chrift, to the great and terrible
God, who kecpeth Covenant and Mercy*
that we in our federal Stations, ihall iinc-
cerly and conftantly endeavour to keep, and
obiervc all the commandments of God,
delivered in the Holy Scriptures, of the Old
X and
( *52 )
and new T , and /hall with the
lame Sincerity and Conftancy, adhere to
the Reformed, Protectant Presbyterian Re-
ligion, as attained to in the Year, 1649-
Contained in the Confeffion of Faith and,
Catechifm's, and to the Scriptural Form o£
Church Goverment, contained in the Na-
tional Covenant and Solemn League, for
extirpating of Popery, and Prelacy and all
other Errours, contrary to the Word of
Goci, and theie Solemn Covenants, and
ihall not fuffer our i elves either by Promiies
or Threatnings to make Defection to the.
contrary part or give our felves to a de-
tettabufe Indifference or Neutrality in the
Matters of God, and that we mall every-
one of us Hand together, for the Encourage-
ment and defence of one another in the
work of Reformation, as we look for mercy
in the great day of the Lord.
Then the Solemn AQion was Clofed
With Prayer for help to perform, and Praifcj
to God to fee the Crown let on Chrifi's
Head, tho' by but a few in the Land, and
that King Jefus now Reigned in Scotland*
THE
( 163 )
THE AFTERNOON'S SERMON
AFTER THE SOLEMNITY.
Pfal.CXLIV 15.
Happy are the TeopJe that is in fuch a Cafe,
yea, happy is the TeopJe wbofi God is
the Lord.
I have two Queftions to ask at you
honeit Covenanters, and the Firft is
this, know ye what yc have been doing the
Cday? Have ye not been avouching the
^Lord to be your God, Deut. XVI. 17,18.
■'.And promijhg to walk in his Ways, and keep
lis Commandments-, O Bleffed Work O
y Happy People, happy is the TeopJe that is in
jnch a Cafe, yea happy is that People whole
God is the Lord. My 2d Quefiion I ask at
you, whofe Hearts was at the Work, and
who made the League with King JESUS,
and fet the Crown on that Glorious Head
of his which is as the moil fine Gold, know
ye what God hath been doing with you
this Day;* I will tell you, Tbe Lord hath
. been thisTDay avouching you tohe a TeopJe to
himfeJf, that ye may he above ail the Nations
\ of the Karth, that he hath made inTraife avd
in Name andinHonour, and that ye may he a
Holy Teopie to the Lord as ye have jpoker,
X2 ' that
I
( t64 )
that is it that the Lord hath been doing with
you, Happy ye, that ever ye were BornJ
Happy is the People that is in fuch a CafeJ
yea happy is that People whofe God is tke|
Lord, tor in that very Day or Hour that the!
People or Perfon avoucheth the Lord to be
their God, Thae very Day and Hour the)
Lord avouches that People or Perfon to be |
his : Ifrael's Covenanting with GOD, and
GOD's Covenanting with Ifrael, are both,
done in one and the fame Day, cDeut. XXVI.
17, 18. That Day you fay or fwear to be
a Holy People to the Lord, that very Day
the Lord makes thee fo: That ye may be
to the Lord an holy People as ye have
fpoken ; have you faid i:, have you honeftly
Sworn it to be an Holy People to the Lord,
then I tell thee the Word the Oath was no
fooner out of thy Mouth, O! honeft Cove-
nanters, then the Lord held thee at thy
Word, and ratified it in Heaven, P\.ejoice
thenO upright Covenanter your Names are
written in Heaven, among the Sacred Re-
cords, and the Lamb's Book of Life, that
thou art a Holy Perfon, a Holy People to
the Lord as you have fpoken, juftfo as ye
fpake it, juft fo is it written in the Regiiler
above. 1 have yet a 3d Queftion to ask st
you, know ye what a Condition what a Cafe
you are in, upright hearted Covenanters
with Godthis Dayf O happy is that Con-
dition
( t6S ) .
clition you are in ! and happy is that Cafe ©£
yours, would to God not only ye but all
• that hear me this Day, (and they are a ve-
ry great Holt ) were in that fame Conditi-
on ; And in that fame Cafe of yours, fee
what a Cafe it is in the Text, Happy is
that People that is in fuch a Cafe, yea
Happy is that People whofe GOD is the
Lord.
From the 1 1 terf. the Koly Pfalmift poor
Man had loll the Rod, and alfo the Object
of Happinefs, and was Wandering to and
fro, fecking the Chief good, in an inchanted
eWorld of deceiving Vanities, and he was
concluding thatthefe were a happy People
that are freed from the Hands of flrange
Children, and have thriving Families, full
Garners, Sheep and Oxen multiplied, now
' faith he, happy are the People that are in
fuch a Cafe, in the firft Claufe of this rerf.
But the Prodigal begins to come to himfelf,
and correct himfelf in the latter Claufe of
it, and fays where away have pcor 1 teen
wandring ? And what a heap of Nonfenfe
have I been expre fling t Did I once fay
that they were a happy People that were
freed from the Hands of ftrange Children,
wo is me that ever I have laid fuch a
WTord, for I looked like a Stranger to God,
and the Covenant of Promife when I faid it,
faid I indeed if they were a Happy People,
that had full Garners, wo is me that ever I
faid
( i as- )
faid fuch a Word, for I looked like a full
Soul that loathed the Honey Comb, when I
faid it, laid 1 that they were a Happy Peo-
ple that had thriving Children, wo is me that
ever 1 faid fuch a Word, I was but a Child
when I faid it ; did I fay they were a Happy
People that had their Jbeaits multiplying, wo-
is me that ever I faid fuch a Word, I was
but a Jbeafl when I faid it : When I was a
Cnild I thought I fpake li e a Child, yea
when I was a ficaft I fpake as a Beaft, "but
when I became a Man I put away Childifli
Things, and am come to fee wherein Happi-
nefs lyes ; yea, True, Durable, Satisfying,
permanent and Everlafiing Happinefs yea
happy is that_ People whole God is the Lord.
In thefe Words are i ft, Something imply 'dj
and 'idly, Something expreffed, ifi, Some- .
thing irnply'd, And that is they are a curfed
and unhappy People whofe God is not the
Lord, and this by the Law of contrarys, if
it fee a having the Lord to be a Peoples God,
that makes that People a Bleffed, and ; an
Happy People, then nothing more furc then
they that haVc not the LORD to be their
GOD, are a Curfed and unhappy Peo-
ple.
idly, In the Words there is fomething ex-
preffed which ye may take up in thefe
Two. i/?, Here is an AiTertion of the Ho-
ly Ghoft, concerning a certain Number of
People in the World, diftinguiihed from o-
thex
f I<*7 )
ther People, that they are Happy, yea Hap-
py is that People, zdly, What is it that
makes them Happy •* only this, and nothing
but this, there being in Covenant with God,
or having Jehovah to be their God, yea
Happy is that People whofe God is the Lord.
•Mark it Sirs, if ye will believe the Holy
Ghoft, all in Covenant with God are Hap-
py, and none but thefe in Covenant with
God are Happy, are ye not in Covenant with
God, then wo, is me for it, yea rather wo to
you for it, who hath the weit of it, its nei-
ther for want of Time, nor Opportunity
many arc in Covenant with God, whofe Fa-
thers for Age you may be, had you then
never an Hours Time in the World to en-
ter Covenant with God, fay not ye had
not Opportunity for it, had you not the fame
Opportunity that other Honeft People had
this Day, faw ye not them in the Face of
the Sun, and of this great Hoft of People,
• with uplifted Hands Sware that the LORD
fliould be their GOD. And ye a pack of
Idler?, ftood looking on, idle Spe Gators, as
if ye had been beholding feme merry Game,
or Stage-play, in which ye were not at all
concerned, and if ye be in Covenant with
God indeed, then are you a Happy People,
Happy is the People that isinfuch a Cafe,
yea -Happy is that People whofe GOD is
the Lord, all you that can Date your Co-
venant with .GOD from this Day, may al-
io
( r63 )
fo Date your Happinefs from this Day, yea
Happy is that People whole God is the Lord,
for Covenanting with God, and Happincfs
goethHandin Hand.
T>ocl That the Lord hath a People in the
World, that are his Bleffed and his Happy
People by their being in Covenant with God,
in Oppoiition to others in the World, that
are a Curfed and unhappy People, becaufe
they are not in Covenant with him ; Yea
Happy is that People whofe GOD is the
LORD.
I fhall i ft here fliew who aie the Curfed
and Unhappy People, that we may rid
Marches betwixt Pretenders, and really God-
ly, betwixt thefe that with the Jews, only
pretend an Iaterefl in the Lord, and thefe who
really are the Lord's. 2cily Point out and fet
upon the other Side that Happy People who
they are, and how they may be known ?
whofe GOD is the LORD, gdly, Wherein
lyes their Happinefs. 4^/y, Improve it.
Firfti Who are thefe that arc the Curfed
and the Miferable People ? who have not
JEHOVAH to be their GOD, who thefe
Curfed and, Miferable People are, is clear
from the Oppofition, they are not in Cove-
nant with JEHOVAH, they have not
the LOFvD to be their GOD. Eph.II. 12.
At that "Time you were without Cbrifi, heing
aliens from the'Common-Wealth of Ifracl Stran-
gers to the Covenant of Tromfe, having no
God,
( m. ) .■;. >
God, and without hope in the World. And
thefe curfed miferabie Cove nan tie fs, Godlefs*
Chriiilcfs, Hopclcfs People, may be taken up
in thefe Ranks, iji, Heathens who are not
fo much as externally in Covenant with God,
but thefe are not our Buiinefs at this Time*
for G-od will pour out his Fury on the He a-
then that never knew Film, why not, let Him
do with His own what He will. 2. All thefe
are a Curfed and Miferabie People, who;
are formal Profeffors, having a Name to
be in Covenant with God, yet reall Grang-
ers to him, as it is faid Pfal. LVIII 4.
The wicked are ejlranged from God from tie
*komb) and his appears from this, that they Irce
not to God, but to the World, they live to them*
fehes: what /hall I eat i Pial, IV 6. 7.
Whaijhall I T)rink ? And where with all
fljall 1 he clothed ? and who will /hew us
any good: but never a Word how Jh all God
he Gloryficd ( the pmXy of ihe Gofpell pre-
ferred f or how Jhall 1 do alwa\es thefe things
that pleafe God, they are Servants of Sin, and
Jnfiruments of Satan, Setting themi elves indi-
ted Oppofition to God, his Wayes, and
People, fuch are for the prefer ving of the
Swine, and banifhing Chriir, out of their
coafts for the fending of the Kirk, and Cru-
cifying of Chrift. Curfed are the People
that are in fwch a cafe, yea Curfed are that
People whole God is not the Lord. ?.
¥ Gunc4
( T70 )
Curled and Miferable are that People that
have burnt and broken their Covenant with
God, in the breaking, and Burning Times,
and never repented nor will Danzie to renew
it in the renewing Times Ezech. 1 7. 15. Shall
he efcape that Doeth thefe things ? ihall
he break my Covenant and be Delivered ?'
4. All thefe arc a Curfcd and Miferable
People, as have directly or Indire&ly had
an Hand in perfecting, and ihedding the
fclood of Saints, either out of Malice or for
worldly advantage, and are fo far from re-
penting, andforrowing fork, that it is their
great Sorrow, that the Magi Urates will not
give them leave to do fo now, for if they
could, they would Hang us or the Morrow,
for no other end but becaufe we have this
Day taken the Lord to be our God, like
Cain, 1^0.111. 12. he flew his Brother, where-
fore ? becaufe his own works were evil,
and his Brother's Righteous. 5. Thefe are a
Curfed and a Miferable People, that flifly
adheres to thefc that have fo often abjured,
their Covenant with God, and loves them
the better thatthey have done it, and that over
Sail Motions and Convictions to the contrary.
Pro. XVII. r 5. "thefe jufiify the Wicked, and
condemn the Righteous, and are abominable to
the Lord. 6. Allfuchas refufe to renew it,
becaufe they cannot fee how to perfom it, be-
caufe of vifible Difficulties, thou art a Poor
curfed Wretch that will have nothing to do
with
f I7t )
with Chrift, for fear thou meet with Loffes,
and difficulties in his Way. I have as little
hope of thy Salvation, as of any that treads
God's Ground, thou plays the young Man's
Part, Majier -what floatl 1 do to inherit Eter-
nal Life, Sell all faith Chrift, and give to the
Toor, and come follow me, r,o, no, fays he,
here are great Difficulties, and heine goes
he farewell Chrift for ever, if the Terms
of thy Covenant be fo Difficult, and John
VI 60, 66. Tfbefi are hard fayings who
can hear them ? and back go they and are ne-
ver feen more, where Gcd hach to do, or
where Mercy is a parting, not like jPaul,
A efts XX. 23. Xonds and ^fiicuons abide me
in every City, yet none of thefe Tarings move me.
And again: I am not only content to be
Bound but to Die atjerufalem for the Name
of Chrift. If thou continue in that mind that
thou will not indent with Chrift, left thou
meet with Trouble, I muft be free to tell
you, you are one of thefe fort of Folks,
that hath done with Well-doing, Heaven
and Happinefs. 7. Thefe are a Curfed and
Miferable People, that hath made quite con-
trary Covenants, that theyiliall never hang
for Religion, tho' they fhould change: it as
often as the Parliament fits, yea as often as
the Moon changeth, like thefe Ifa.XXVIIL
1 5 . We have ma de a Covenant with T>cath and
with Hell, arc we at an agreement, away
Y 2 Ma4
f 172 )
Mad Fools ! a Covenant with Death and |
Hell, was it becaufe there was not a GOD
in Heaven to Covenant with ! that thou
made a Deadly and an HelliJh Covenant ? 1
O but fay they 1 not fo Mad as you think,
we have made but a Covenant with Over-
throwers of Religion, toyeild to what they
require, left they Hang us and Bury us in
the Grave, which is called Hell in this Place,
yea, bat you are dittrattcd ! who hath be-
witched you ? O Fools ! know ye not:
.what God fays } Tour Covenant wih 2>
Jhall be broken, and your o.arccmtnt ityth Hell
Jhail not jlanci, God will give you as little
good of that Covenant, as Judas got of the
Thirty Pieces of Silver, he never nude uie
of one Half Penny of it, and hath fryed in
Hell for it, Seventeen Hundred Yeart, and
evermore will do.
Objecf. What need all this Curling and Cry--
ing wre are not in Covenant with God, we
are in Covenant with God as well as the
bed of you, we are Baptized I hope, and
what is Baptifm t Is there no Covenanting
with God in that Sacrament!3 A- You are
Baptized there is News, have ye not fome-
' thing to brag of !* Who brake your Baptif-
mal Covenant, Burn your National Cove*
runt, hate thefe that keep it, not enter in
Covenant again for fear of Difficulties, and
snakes Covenant with Death and .Hell:
What faith the Holj Ghoitoi fuch Baptiz-
ed
t 173 1
ed Perfons as ye are, Rom. II. 25. Titrt 1)
thou be a breaker of the Law, jhall not thy Cit*
jcumcifon be made Uncircumafio% Jer. IX.
25. 2, IwillTuniJh them that are Circumcifd
with them that are Unci rcumci fed \ Egypt and ' ■
Jndah, and Edom, and the Children of Am-
nion, and'Mosibfor all thefe are Uncircumcif
ed, and all the Houfe oflfrad are Uncircumcif-
cd in Heart, and of fuch the Lord faith, Am.
IX. 7. Are ye not as the Children of /Ethiopia
to me 0 Houfe of Iirael faith Xht Lord, Bap-
tiled Apoftats arc fad Perfcns.
I come now to fkew you who are the
Eleffed and Happy People, and they are a
People that have fevcral Marks, rcA Cha-
racters, whereby they are diKpgtti'fiieci from
•all other People in the World: as, ifts They
■#re a People that are all born ov'r Stgaifi
there is a Through and Erle£tual CK.
wrought upon the whole Man, The •". •
derflanding, Will and Affections: they once
judged Sin fweet, and Holinefs bitter, t
-once judged Evil good and Good evil,
but iince the Charge they judge the
-cmite contrary. Pfal. CXIX. 128. I have
judged thy Commandments, concerning all
'Things to he right y and I hate every Falfe \Vav>
the Will was once Rebellious and Difobedi-
cnt, rejecting (Thrift and his Commandments,
faying, We will not have this Man to Reign
ever :is% but in comes the happy Change, and
the*
( 174 )
then the Stubborn Will fubmirs, faying, Ads
IX. 6. Lord 'what will thou have me to do r*
TheAffedions wcrefetallon wrong Obje£ts,
they Loved, Rejoiced and Delighted in Sin,
and in Sinful Company, and were afhamed
of Holinefs, and a Holy ProfcfTion, but in
comes the happy Change, and then they Love,
Joy and Delight in the Lord, his Command-
ments, Wayes and People, and Glory in Chrift
and his Ways, who aught you know you by
thisfare ye the happy People, know ye what it
is to be born or'r again ? knew ye ever what
the Pangs of the New-Birth meant, to have
your Sins as fo many Daggers at the Heart,
making you cry out, WharJhaU I do to be
Saved, Acts II. 37. Happy are they.
idly, They are a People all led by the
Spirit, of God, Rom. VIII. 9- Now if any
Man have not the Spirit of God he is none of
his , and this you may know by the Fruits of
the Spirit, Gal. V. 12. The Fruits of the Spirit
are Love, Joy, Teace, Long-fuffering, Gen-
tlenefs, Goodnefs, Faith, Meeknefs and Tem-
perance, Contrary to the Fruits of the Flejh,
which are Adultery, Fornication, Lafcivouf-
viefs, UncJeannefs, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Malice,
Variance, Murders, Wrath, Strife, Sedition,
Herefies, TDrunkencfs, Revilings, and the like,
Who aught you I ken ye by this, are ye the
happy People whefe God is the Lord f are
ye led by the Spirit of God f the Spirit of
God leads not to the Puddle of Sin, nor back
in
Apoftacy, but in the way of Truth, and
Holinefs, it mall be called the Way of Ho-
linefs, and thefe redeemed of the Lord liiall
walk therein-, Happy are the People that are
in fuch a Cafe, yea happy is that People whofe
God is the Lord.
%dly, The happy People are a People who
have all of them come to Age, Personally en-
tered in Covenant with God, and given theni-
felves Soul and Body and all they have to be
his, and taken him for their God, and Chrift in
all his Offices to govern them by his Law, as
well as to redeem them by his Blood. So
David, 2 Sam. XXIII 5. GOD hath made
with me an eveylafiirig Covenant, fo Jojhua,
Jcfojb. XXIV. As for me and my Family -me
•mill ferve the Lord; fo "David, Pfal. CXIX.
Lord I am thine fave thou me •, Who aught
you now ? ken ye by this ? have ye fincere-
lyand personally entered in Covenant with
God t when was the Time,and where was the
Place ? when ye renounced all yourSins and I-
dols,& took back your felves from your former
Lovers,and made a full and free AiIignation,St
Refignation of your felves to God, faying as
Naaman, 2 King. V. 17. Thy Servant will
henceforth, offer neither burnt Offerings, nor
Sacrifices to any other Gods, hut to tie Lord
only. Did ever your Soul O Man ! O Wo-
man! fay to God as the Soul of David.
Pfal. XVI. 1,2. Omy Soul thou baft (aid to
the
f M )
tie Lvd, Thoti art my G GT>, happy 1 that
luve fuch a Soul as ever laid fuch a Word
to the Lord as this, thou art my God, theie
two Letters (MY that thou haft fpoke O my
Sou.!, takes in all the Bible, all the Welled
Trinity, all Heaven and Eternal Happinefe;
for what were they all to me, if they were
not mine, and therefore a Great Reformer
feid, TOLLE MEUM& TQLLE7DE-
I ./, take away My, and ye take away God *
and altogether, it is my Soul, that faid it to
God, a|i$ therefore that God to whom I laid
it with all the Soul I had, is my GOD. So did
Jacob, Gea XXVIII. 2o» Jacob -ocmed a
Vow, what was it f that the Lord mould
be his God, if thou hail with thy Soul done
fo, then yea happy, happy is the People that
is iiifucii a Cafe, yea happy is that People
whole God is the Lord.
4#fy, The happy People are a People that
earneitly long for, and greedily and gladly
lay hold on all Opportunities for Cove-
nanting with God, in as publick a Man-
ner as they can enter in Covenant with him.
If many Nations and ftrong People go to
Covenant with God, they cry, 0 Jhut n
■ voi oifcatthe hack Z)oort for God's fake take
us with you, Zech. VIII. 23. Ten Men /hall take
hold of all Languages of the Nations, even
ft ad take hold of tie Skirts ofhimthat is a Jew,
(tying ■ pUi for vie haue fa'ard
fv&t GO D is iSGtib you, and if but One Na-
tiori
( 111 )
lion will go, they greedily rejoice and Jay
hold on the Opportunity: 2. Chron. 15.
12. All of them in the Nation lay hold oil
the Opportunity of Covenanting with God,
and each of them are glader then another,
that they have got the Opportunity; and all
Judah rejoiced at the Oath ( of theNationall
Covenant; for they had Sworn with all the
Heart, and fought him with all the defire, if
not, if but a few Families, or but one Fami-
ly will go, they ihall be one of that Num-
ber, like Jojhua, Joih. 24. Let all the Nati-
ons feme what Gods they will, either on the
other fide of the Flood, Worjhipzng as other
Nations do, or of the Amorites in whofe Land
ye T)well, according t<9 the corrupt Worjhip
of the Kingdom, yet I and my Family we
'mill feme tbe Lord ? What fay ye to this,
who aught you ? are ye the happy Peopl©
whofe God is the Lord? who greedily long
for and Joyfully embrace the bleffed op-
^ portunities of pufelick Covenanting with
God, then happy, happy is the People that
is in fuch a Cafe, yea, happy is that People
whofe God is the Lord.
Objed. Xou V reach ell to your own fort of
folk and to yourfelf that have entered Cove-
nant this "Day, ive will all go home, nothi?!g
here for us.
Anf jjl, Why not, would you have us
walking in fuch iinful Wayes? and making
Z fuel*
( 1-73 ) . I
fuch Antifcriptural Covenants, asthatwhen
we Preached the Confolations of the Gofl
pel, theie ihould not belong to us; God for*
bid, v.e have according to the Scripture
and Practice ol the People of God in all
Ages been binding a People to God in
Covenant, ana the bible tells us, happy is
that People whole God is the Lord, who
are indeed in Covenant, with him. 2dly>
"You fay, you Preach to your felf, lanfwer
fo I ought to do, God forbid that I ihould
be fuch a Difembler, or fuch a painted Hy-
pocrite that when I Preached the Duties,
and Correlations of God to others, yet re-
ceived no Instruction or Conlblation to my
felf, Rom, II. ii.^T'-outhat teach ft another
daft Ujcu not teach thy ft if? and as for the Com
for is ye envy us of, hare we rot God7 s Wan and
f ike Comfort to mrftetves, and give itto
others, that Ue Ctildr.entxid.ntmt their "Breed,
i Cor. L $ 4. %lefed be G O D the Fa-
of our Lo d" yefus Chrijl the Father
of Mercies ard the God of all Comfort,
;cd us in all 'Trilnda'ion,
" :■' "might he ahlelto Comfort others, pitS
ft c ft/ucLujnforts wherewith isoe our fetres are
hrtcd of God. 3, Say you, we will all go
me^ nqfhiiig here for you, lanfwer, whom
ye that there is nothing here for you,-
you were all invited pre fled andobiefied to
ant with God, but you re*
if God be not your God there is nothing
here
( *79 )
here for you indeed, but enough for that
Jiappy People here, whoie God is the Lo
gtf/j>, would you have us Preach contrary tq
the jbible, and call them, a Curfea Peoj c
whofe God is the Lord, and you a hajjlpy
People that rejected God's Covenant t
Day, no, no, if ye befuch Folk as reject
God's Covenant, and yec will be happy,
and will away Home, and break his Sajbbath,
and defpife his Ordinances, then yc uiico-
' ver what fort of Perions yc aie, bolc of
God's happy People, and ye may go your
way home with the heavy Curie of God
we will be no worfe of the want of you, it
is not Godleis and Covenantlefs People that
we want here, Curled arc the People that
are in fuch a Cafe, yeaCtuicdare mat Peo-
ple whofc God is not the Lord, but 1 ra-
ther you would fray and repent, and yet gel-
Mercy, and Perfonally Covenant with God,
,and alfo Nationally if ever God give you
Opportunity, and if you will away out of
Malice and Envy, that yon have feen the
Crown fet on Chart's Head, and becaufe ys*
hear they are a happy People, then take it as
afure evidence of your Eternal Departure
from God at thelatt Day, when he iiiailfay,
tbefe mine Enemies, that would rot tbat'I
fioould Reign ouer them, bring rue whither &n£
Slay them before me, Luke XIX. 37. and Mat.
XXV. 41. TDcpart ye curjid into &xrlaftmg
( 1 8o )
Fire, and theft /hall go into everlafting Tunijl^
■ment\ butaUsl Ifee you going away in the
wrong Time, for now the laving Power o£
God is among ft lis.
Ojjcct. L. So/tte isodl meanivgTeople may
fay Mujter tusjayingtoou offendeji us all, for
titer? an uere many Hundreds of 'People tmjo
have notuetdup t>jeir Hinds by explicit Co-
*ymanting whoje Heart is as much at the Work
as twfc XiMtdid it,
^±*jw. i . God kens the Heart, and what
have you been doing within, but I ken
wnat ye have omitted that have not expli-
citly covenanted witn God. 2. Not! but the
bible offends you. 3. This I can fay that
as oar of the abundance of the Heart the
Mouth fpeaks, fo out of the abundance of the
Heart the Hand Acis, be Grace or not Grace
in the Heart, I /hall not determine, but this
I am fare of, either there is no Grace or elfe
Sin abounds, and hath the upper Hand, and
its an ordinary Kulc the "Tree is known by its
Fruits. 4. It was not the DcfignofthisDay
to conceal what Love you had to God,
and his Covenant, but to come and declare,
and bear a, publick Tettimony before the
World, again it Perjurious breakers of God?s
Covenant, for a Teitimonyagainit them, and
as public kly as they have plucked the Crown
oi his Head, that ye may as publickly fetit
on, anil appeal to yourfclves, whatEarrh-
}y King would take it well, if when his
Enemies
( i«i )
Enemies had Sworn the Crown was not his,
he fet a Day with his Subjects to let the
Crown on his Head, and when the Day
came Multitudes came to gaze what they
could fee, but never one would touch the
Crown with their Finger to fet it on his
Head, we ken not your Heart, but this we
fee, many hare been idle gazers and fpecta-
tors, when others have fet the Crown on
Chrift's Head, God grant you may not be
Idle Speftators and Gazers in that Day,
when Chrift fets the Ctown of Glory on
their Heads that with Heart and Hand fet
the Crown of Zion on his Head. 5. I fay
this to you, that faid we had as good a Heart
to Covenanting with God as thefe that did
it publickly, and I appeal to your felves for
an Anfwer, fuppofe the Sacrament of Bap-
tifm were to be adminiitrcd the Perfon to be
Baptifed ftiould hear all the Sacramental In-
ftitutions and Engagements ( the Perfon being
come to the Years of Difcretion ) and when
the Minifter fhould fay ftand up, and be Bap-
tifed, and yet the Perfon would not ftand
forth, nor receive the outward Sign Water,
but went his Way. I ask whether or not
that Perfon were a Baptifed Perfon, I trew
not. 2. I ask, fuppofe this were a Day of
receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper,
and certain Perfons came and fat down at the
Table, and heard all that were concerning
the Ufefulnefs, Ends and Neceility of receiv-
ing
( «f»2 )
ingthe Sacrament, and yet when it came tar
Act oi receiving, and the Mmiiter faicS
l^akeye, Eit ye, otc. 'This Cup is fix JS'ew
^Tejlament cDrirk\e all of it % and they would
neither receive the Bread nor trie Wine, now
fay, whither that Man's Heart was Right or
was he a Communicant, I tie w not •, all I ihall
fay, Chnii is little in thefe Perfons Conmon
for a Tcitimony, in fuch a Day as this/
and how they will mount a Scaffold for
Ciiia', in a Bloody Day, that would not
lift up a Hand to GOT) in a fweet day of
the ffofpel, nor once touch the Crown to
fee it on his Head, is more than I can tell,'
But to the purpofe again, thefe are a happy
People that greedily and joyfully lay hold
on all Opportunities, as publickly as they
can to enter into Covenant with GO 75,
happy is the People that is in fuch a Cafe,
yea happy is that People wiiofe GOZ)k
the "Lord.
5 The happy People are a People that
reft not in the Act of Covenanting, whither
publick orprivat, that is but an Engagement .
to Duty they make hafte to perform, Pfal.
CXIX. 10.5. I have Sworn and J will per*
form that I will keep thy righteous Judgments^
Miferable and Curfed are they that have cn-
;dat Baptifm this Day, or at any Time,,
ihall break their Vows, that which
principally youCovenantsrsliavc bzzcl vowing
to
( IB? )
to GOT), as ye fhall ai>i-wer to him at t
Great Day, is to ttand itedfaft by the Scrip-
tural Won hip, Doctrine, DilciplineandGo-
vcrment of the Koufe of God, as it is op-
pofed to Popery, Prelacy, Eraftianifm,
and the Apottacy, Perjury, and Gover-
nment of this prcicnt Conftittit Church of
Scotland, by Engti/h'Pitliti, according to the
National Covenant and Solemn League,
now we do not call you Blefied. and Happy
for fo Vowing, except yon perform yonr
Vows, let it therefore appear to God, and
his People, that ye have been fincere with
God, in that ye perform like TDcnid, Pfal.
CXVI. 14. 1 mil Pay m Verm vow to tie
Lord in the Trefence of all lis Tec fie : But
if ye lli2.ll break your Vows to God, and go
back to Popery, Pietficy or this prefent A-
poftat Clvurch, in the prefence of all the Peo-
ple, I call God and your Conscience to Wit-
nefsthatye are guilty of direct Perjury, and
ftiall be judged blif of your own Mouth,
and /hall be none of the Happy People
whofe God is the Lord, Pay, and Pay now
and continue paying imtiil your dying
Day.
6thly: The happy People are a People
that will abide any Affliction, yea, Death
it felf, rather than deal Falfly in God's Cove-
nant, Pfal XV. 1,4, Eijhail afcend to tie
Hill of God, - d efl in lis "Tahrvacle,
who changethnot his Covenant tho' it be
that
f 134 )
that he Swear to his Lofs, every upright Co-'
Veil Ji liter with God, calls up his Account be-
fore he engage, like a Wife Builder, and
fets down- Item, Lofe the World, ltemy
Content to lofs my Vail, my good Name
ev$a by Minifters, they will take away my
Vail from me, ltemy I mult lofe eafe and a cer-
tain dweling Place, and wander in Deferts
^ and in Mountains in Dens and Caves of the
Earth. Item, I muft lofe my Liberty and em-
brace Prifons, for Chrilt like rPaul and Syias,
and Jofipb. Item, I may lofs my native Coun-
try all for Chrifr, and be driven far off among
the Nations. Itemy I may lofs my Life for
Chrift, like thefe Rev. XII. u. 'They over-
came him by the "Blood of the Lamhy and the
Word of their Teftimonyy and loved not their
Lives to the Tieatby Item, in one Word, lam
content to lofe all in the way to Glory, ex-
cept God and my poor Soul, thefe they can-
not, thefe they will not part with come
what will, no their Souls are glewed to
Chrift's Heart and love to him ftronger than
Death, Pfal.XLIV. .15, 16, 8fc. Zecaufe of
the Reproach of. the Enemy and the avenger,
all this is come upon us, yet have we not forgot ten
thee, nor dealt faljly in thy Covenant & tho' we
by counted as Sheep for the Slaughter, fore
broken in the Place of Dragons, and killed
for thy fake all the Day. Its like the Co-
venant betwixt Jonathan and T)avidy they
made
( 1*5 )
nude a Covenant together and keeped it;
becaufe they loved on£ another as their
dun Soul yea happy, happy is the People
that is irl fucjh a cafe, yea happy is that
People whole God, is the Lord. ... '*%
6. They are a People that lov^ haline^
as it is Holiries, tho' rio reward w^re fofc'
lowing after it, Pfal. CX1X :Tuy Wr# >\
ii pure therefore my Soul louetk it : . Not
fo much becaufe it Jhe^s)es how to Jhun TDam-
n*tio% or leads to hap^inejs hit becaufe of
ifs fpotles purity and Holinefs -fo fweet avd
agree able to my Renewed taft Pfal. CX1X 103^
How fwcet to my Mouth are all thy Words of
Truth, yea fweet'ef then the Honey to my.
tejl yea happy, happy is that Teople Jwhofe
God ii the Lord, Pfal/ v LI 7. 8, David
had Brought himjelj in hazard of T)amnation%.
and he goes' to God by TrayerJ and whit;
fayes he t T>oes hi fay Lord keep me out of
HelU Lord take me tip to Heaucn.' and rkake.
me happy no but he pants and . breaths dftei
peure Holines in this Life, Lord create a Right
Heart and renew d Right clean Spirit, in me>..
make me once Holy come ofHappinefs.Vyhat
will, yea happy-, happy is the "People whojt
God is the Lord, T _ • ; . - ;.
7. The happy People; are an high' Ben-
ded and aft afpiring People, think, not
them bafe Spirited and Men of Mean/ arid
low Defigncs, becaufe, they' abide , Tryal,
of Cruel MocKings, and does not finve to"
A_a &ee£
( iB6 )
keep the Religion molt in fafhion and fucfi
as is the Kings Religion, the great Man's
Religion the Religion of thefc
that are the Miniiters of the times,
rather then the Minifters of Ghrifi that by fo
doing they may brag it out with them ancf
the Minifters may allow them Familiarity
and fay why come ye not oftner to
my Houfe it ay till ye get a Drink good-
Man, and Hay good-Wife take a Part of
my Dinner, and then go Home Braging I
was ill the Mmifters, but would he let
me ga till 1 Dind with him no, Oh ! he is
an Honeit Man our Miaifter, nor arc rhey
of bafe and loofe Spirits, becaufe they do1
not afpire to places of Honour in the
W#ld no they think no more ol
^firiitles Crowns and Kingdoms, Places of
jflfctt fruit, and Earthly Celleries, then
Duff and Dung among their Feet TbiL 111
8. o. I count all things lofe and Dung
ttor are they a bafe and Mean Sprited
; People, becaufe theyrefufe Kirks and Step-
" ends, ar.c! contem to go ifl Suaggering m
the if perfumes to Synod's and General A$-
femhlies, and" be remarked for pretty, net, witie
Speaches no,- all this is but to walk in a
vain mow what would they be at then!
Or wherein does the lugfa .bendednes,
Nobility and Majeftckneis of their Spirits
appear, it appears in this the Tramp] ing
of Crowns, Seepters, 61'nfuil and Worldly
Richer PonouDi and preferments; under
their
"I 187 )
their Feet, and therefore the Church Piture
is drawn in a ftately M jeitick form Rev.
XII r. Standing on the Moan Chatted
Wth the San, and on her Head a Q'own of
twelve Stars, treading all the Galantries of
the World under her Feet like toe Eagle,
can [lay at m meaner Game then tbe Su%
all Jlrayed and decked whb toe FLoyall Kibes
of Chr/Jl, We Sun of the Spirtiuail World, and
rejoydng in him that hath tuns adoned them,
Iia. LXI 10. T will Greatly relay ce m the
Lord, for he hath do at bed me with the Kohes
. of Righteoufnes, and cohered me with the
Garment of Salvation, and on their Head a '
Crown of twelve* Star$r the Tfattfine of the
twelve \Apoftles ; Noble and Maje (tick -arc
they by their new Birth and extracl, John
I. u. 12, Born not of the Fleih, nor
the will of Man, but of God,. Noble -in
refped of their Ready Imbracing the Gof-
pell, Acl: 17 1 To Thefe were more in
Noble then thefe of Theffalmica^ m that
they received the word wich all rcadines of
Mind, Noble in refpett of their rule,
and Places of trull, they rule not with
Sinful Worms but with God, Hof ir» 1.2.
Judah yet rules with God, and is faithful
w.ith the Saints: Rule, and are Ruled by
his Law, in opposition to any Human Law
to the contrary, Noble in refpecl pi their
end and Dengues Phil. Ill §. 9, tQi^.
All lofs that I may gain Chrift, I pre Is
A ; j, & ' to
( t83 )
jvo the highefl pitch, and degree ofHolinefs
that ever mortal attained to, I prefs for-
ward if by any means, I may attain to
the Kefurreelion, to Eternal Salvation, they
are fuch a Majeltick, afpiring high bended
People, "that they think no more of Hea-
ven, and Angels without Chiril, then of a
iVJlen and morofe campany of Morners
about a Toombe Grave like Mary, John
XX 13. She vveeped in the company of
!Affg€% and itill cryed my Lord if away,
and his Place is ill fupplyed by Angela
you are good -Angih but ill Chrifts and
pavid Pfal. LXXIII 25. Whom haue.\
in Heaven but thee i And. there is none
on Earth that 1 T>efire lefides thee \ Yea
happy, happy is the People that is in fach
<i cafe, yea happy is that People whole
God it "the Lord.
8. The happy People are a People that
exceedingly long for Chrifi'.s fecond appe-
arance to Judge the World, and defiered
hope gives them manyafeek Heart, but if
once he would let his Glorious Head through
the Clouds, thendefire accp.mpliilied would
be fweet to the Soul, they would then ftart
to their Feet, "as the Spoufe in another
cafe, and cry the Voice of my Beloved,
well is me for ever more, long looked for,
is once cone at la ft, or a& the bleffed
Martyr at the Stake, who when Chiift came
with his fenfiblc Glojou. preience-, cryed
out
t 189 )
$ut O ! Aniline, he is come; he is come,
hence they are called. .2. Tim. IV 8.
JLouers of his - appearance, -who hare laid up
for tucm q Crown of Ri'gLteoufnes, benee at
Jo is fo many 'Prayers for bis Coming, arid bis
bafiy coming Cant. VIII Lait make haft my
Jfeloynd anc] be thou as ra Ra'e pr Young
Heart upon the Mountains of Separation, take
long Steps, ha'ften by Hand all the
Great promifes to be fulfilled, before thy
Coming, flioul away Snful Suffering days,
and dayes of defertion, and the Trumph-
ing of the wicked, let it be but for a Moment,
*nd right all the wrongs done to they felf,
thy In te reft arid People1 let, Haman and
Mordicaiboth get their dues let the Righte-
ous be delivered out of trouble and the
wicked come into his flesd? others have
need of patience to Dil •, But the Godly
{lave need of patience to Live, hence fayes
the Apoftle 1; Thef. Ill 5. LordT>i-
red your Hearts in tbe Loxe of God, and in
patient waiting for tbe coming of Cfyrifi-y&i
they would come to him upon the waters,
and go through the Jawes of Death, jand
fwelings of Jordan to v/in at him, JLuke
II 28. 29. Simon ' when once he got
Chrift in his Arms, cryed now, Lord,
letteft thou thy fervant depart in peace,
let me dye in the fame place of Imbrace-
ment, fo up right heated Covenanters,
that have met with Chrift here will wtfti'
O!
I 190 )
OI To depart, and to have our Graves in
this place where we became fo happy 4
People as get the Lord to be our God,
yea happy, happy is the |People that is in
fuch a cafe, hippy is that People that is
in fuch a cafe, ycf happy is that People
whofe God is the Lord.
The third thing is if the Lord's People
befuchanhappy People, wherein lyes their
happines £ AntVcr ?. it lyes in this and no-
thing but this there being in Covenant with,
God, that makes them happy, happy is the
People that is in fuch a cafe, jy'ea happy
is that People whofe God is the Lord, for
they 'tan never come into that condition
of Life or Death, Profperity or adverfity,
but ay there Covenant with God makes
them happy Dent. XXX1I1 29 Happy art
thou- 0 Ifrael who is like unto thee £ a People
firoecl by the Lord, the fbield of thy help and
who is the Szvord of they excellency , and thine
Enemies Jhall be found liars unto, thee, and
thou Jhall ride upon Hjeir high 'Places. And
by their being iri Covenant with God, they
are happy in a Threefold Refpect, 1. they are
happy here away in their Road to Glory
2. They are happy in Death, in flitting
.and fteping into Glory, 3. They are happy
after Death in their "full poffeffiqn of God
in Glory for ever and Ever*
Firft happy here away in their Road & Jur-.
ney to Glory, and that in a two fold con-
dition
f '91 )
i. of Profpcnry, 2 Of adverfity, fi
Happy in proiperity, Deut. XXVIII i.
If thou -mill obey the Vbkt of the Lord they
God to do all Mi commar, dements then the Lord
thy God mill jet the ab&&£ all the Nations of the
Earth ; hlc&d fhall thou be in City, and
blcffed fhall thou be Jin flic field, bleffed
ftiall be the Fruit |of thy Body and the
Fruit of thy Ground, &e. whereas all thefe
arc curfed to the wicked Mai II 2. If
ye will not give Glory to my Name, I
will even fend a curfe upon you, and will
curfe your bleffmgs, yea, lhave curfed them
already, Job XX 21. In the fulnes of your
Sufficiency yt /ball he in Jlraiii+ Pro v. I 32
The Trofferiiy of Fools Jhall deftroy them\
they fpend their Stibftance in debauchry; oner-
ihroiscing Religion &c. But the Godly fpend it
for the Glory of the giver, and Mantinance
ol the the Golpel, happy they, God's blef-
fiiig's on them and it both, yea happy,
happy is the People that is in fuch a cafe
yea, happy is that People whofe God is
the Lord.
2. Happy in time 6f adverfity 2. Cor. IV
8. 9, n.. We are troubled on euery fide
yet not difireffedy i&c are fer flexed, but hot in
defppjy : Terfecuted, but not forfaken-, cafi
down, but not dejlroyed. Happy they, ye£
happy is that People whofe God is the
Lord.
1. Art thou A Lord's Body a Poor weak;
Creature and afiauhed with many ftrong
Temtations
. ( *9?< )
Temtations yet happy the Lord /hall both
lieip the againft them and make them to
prevent Sin, inftead of provoking to Sin, 2'.
Cor. XII 9, I be fought the Lord
often to take away the Temtation, but he
did better, 1 . He made his grace fufficient:
for me, and his ftrength perfect in my weak-
nes 2, He made it work for my good,
that I might not be exalted above meafure
through the abundance of Revelation: Yea
happy, happy is that People whofe God
is the Lord.
2 Art thou fometimes overtaken in a
fault and guilty of fome Sin, aiter Cove-
nanting yet happy for all that, fori: Thefe
Sins may mare they Comfoitvbut they fliall
notnullyfie God's Co vnant, T/7/.LXXXIX
32. If his Childten break my Law, I will
Punifh with a Road, but will not break my
Covenant with them, and this was 7Jai)idys
comfort looking back on his former Lifet at
Death 2.SamelXXUI 5. Altho' lriavebeen
guilty of many Sins, yet God hath made
with me an everl ailing Covenant, better
ordered and furer then all rny Sins can.
wind me out of it. 2. They fliall not be
left of God to ly in Sin without Repentance,
the Lord reitored T^auid by fending Nfr
thcin to him, and better by a Gracious look
happy they. 3. Happy in that the Lord
gives them good out of Sin, tivt of this
cater he bfings forth Meat, when a Perfon
Lobk#
{ 193 .)
Looks back, and fees the greatnes ofhfe
Sins, and yet God forgiving all it makes
one love him exceedingly Luke 7. .4,7.
She Loved much for much was forgiven,
it makes another Labour the more in God's
work i. Cor. XV" .9. 10. I am not worthy
to be called an Apejlle becaLfe 1 perfect-
ed the Church of God, but wnen he beno-
wed his Grace on me, it was hot in , vain,
for I laboured more aboundantly then they
all, thy repent they love God the more, and
are at more pains in his fervice, happy they
yea more, they get this advantage by Sin,
that they rile out of it with more care and
watchfulnes, keeping ay a watchful! careful
Eye to the Airth from which Enemy , Sin
may be expected like the fpoufe, Cant.
VII 4. Thy Nofe is like thiJ Tower of L&
hanon, that looketh toward T)amafcus, an Ido-
latrous place by which they were,. Some times
tempted to commit lolatry, when the King of
Hmel fent Home the Tatter on of the Altar :
of 'Damafcus, and fet it up in fbet Houfe,rof
the Lordi they gai this good of- it, the will,
ever after aware of Idolatrous \Damafcus. this
made a great Saint once fay, I get more good
of my Sins then of my Grace, for I amHu;hbl~
ed by my Sins hut like to be puffed up with my
graces* and if. they be better of Sin what can
wrong, them? ; Happy they, yea happy is
thac People whofe God is the Lord,
3. Arc flwhi living among Pexfrcattnig
( 194 )
Enemies and has no itrength againft th£ni
yet happy for all that, thy Covenanted
God is itrong enough for them all and haih
promifed to help the If a. XL1 10. Feat
thou not for I am with thee be not difmay-
ed for 1 am thy God, yea I will help thee,
yea 1 will itrengthen thee, yea 1 will uphold
thee, by the right-Hand of my Righteoufnes,
Go to God and tell him they are like to*
under his Poor weak Covenanted p}dy
like that King 2. Chro. XX 12 O Lord
our God will thou not Judge them, will
thou not Judge them, for we have no might
againft this great Company that cometh a-
gainit us neither know we what to do, but
©ur Eyes are toward thee and what an hap-
py return was given, the Lord fet ambuik-
avents againft the Children of Ammo% Mo«
aby and Mount Sier are they not happy,--
happy art ihoiiOljrad who is like unto thee
a People fayed by the Lord who is thine
help, yea happy is that People whofe God
is the Lord, Tjkl XII Laft the Lord will
compafs them about with favour as with 4
flueld.
4. Haft thou Lofl: they way in a mift
of darknes, and a mufe of perplexities, Sa-
tan having raifed fuch a mitt ofmanyReli-
gons tcr make thee to- waiHer, and art corrr-
pleaning Ifi. 59. 10. We grope for the
wall like Blind men, we grape as if we had
m Eyes, O who will guide me to Im~
manuePs
*95 )
rnanwel's Land? who will bring me to the
City of Life, happy for all that, thy own
God will, do that, Ifa XL1I 16. I will
make Darknes Light before thee, and Cro-
oked things Straight thefe things will I do
to thee an i not forfake the, thine Ears fhall
hear a voice behind the faying this is the
way walk- ye in it, when thou turned: to
the right Hand or the left, Ifi. LI t8?
I have {ecu his wayes and I will heal
him I will lead him alfo, I will re do re contort
to aim and to his Mourners, happy thou, yea
happy is that People whofe God is the
Lord.
5. Art thou a Poor wighted burdened
broken Hearted Body for th y oun Sin and
the Sin, of the Land, of all Ranks, and
for the Treachery of the Minifters of the
time, yet happy for all that, why thy God
is a fuftaining upholding God. ' Mit- XI
23. Come to me weary heavy laden Soul
and I will give the red Tfal LV 22,
Call: thy Burden on the Lord and he dial!
Suftain thee , happy thou yea happy is that
People whofe God is the Lord.
6. Art thou afraid the Lord leave the
Land, and take the Gofpel utterly away,
yet happy for all that, for the Lord will
not leave the Land for the Sms of the
Multitude, if there be but in it a foul
Remnant that will noc leave him 2. Cbro. XV
, The Lord is with you while you are
2 B b 2 ^tH
( io6 )
with him, as long as the Lord hath an Honeft
Party in the Land, the Gofpel fhall not gp
away, it may w^U be ecclipfed Ifa. XXXIII
20 11 - look on Zion the City of pur Soleri)-
nites,' thine Eyes iliall behold Jerufalem a
peacable habitation, a tabernacle neycr to
be taken down? will he leave a People that
fwearheilulibeliieir God, not at all happy
are the People whofe God is the Lord.
7- Art thqu a Poor Body weak in Grace
and can neither take comfort to they felf,
lior be very ufeful for others, happy for all
that/ whole God is the Lord,' for firftit is
not the ftrength, but the reality of Grace,
that the Lord looks to as Men have two
wayes to try Gold, on by the Ballance to
fee what weight it hath if there be much of
it, another by the Touch-Hone to fee if it
be good Gold, fo doth the Lord, and hath
a great efteem of the leaft grain of true
grace %, Tet. I. 1. Thefe faith the A-
pojile that; have obtained the like Precious
Faith with "us 2, Where it is he will en-
courage it "Ifa. "XLII'3. The Smoking flax
mil lie not quench, nor break the brufed reed,
3. be will proportion your trouble to your ftrengtb
lay no more on than ye are able. tobetv\like a
tender Mother ay dand cling the. weake Child
on her knees, iphen floe boosts, the firovg away
to the fore turn, 4, He will make your
Journey toHeavenmore patent then the weak
Rev. Ill 8. Thou haft but a little ftrength
fceholcj
( 197 )
behold I have iet before you an open.
Door 5. If thou had more ftrength of grace
it would be as well tryd as Heman a Pen-
man of the Holy Scripture yet Heman conclu-
ding himfeli a loft Man^/. IXXXVIII
5. 10.' J am counted with them that go
down to the pic, it's theie God gives much
work in the World to whom he gives great
grace efpecially affaraiice, jf&cob Jiad ntoach
manifedatipiiSjbiit a weary Life pf tryal 1/hac
fewer manifeftations but a peaceabler Life,
be fides all thy Covenanted, God is a grace
giving God, happy thou, Tjal LXXX1V
ir. The Lord is a Sun and a fliield, he
will give grace, and he will Give Glory,
yea happy is that People whofe God is the
Lord. r
8. Is this thy affliction that thou art in.
a low condion in the World, happy for all
that, God fees thou could not bear with plen-
ty, and it is a more Dangerous condition
than a Mean conditon Deut. XXXII 12.
3c 5. When Ifrael, 'was. in a Mean and lew
condition it is faid the Lord alone did lead
ttm and there was no firange God irifb Um,
but when he rod upon the high Places of the
Earth, and Riches rnultipled them Jeihunm
waxed fat kicked and foribqk the Lord that
made him, better be in a mean condition
with God alone leading thee then to for-
fake God in a Profperous condition 2.
why ddeffi thou fear, hath God done good
to
fi98 )
to i\\6 Soul, the Jewel he will be good
to the Body the Cabinat for the Jewels
fake, yea for his promifes fake, Jjn. XXXII
14. He that walketh uprightly and fpeakcth
Righteoufnes bread ihall be given and
Water ihall be fure of Heb. XIII 5. Let
they Conversation be without cove toitfnes
and be content with fach things as ye have
for he hath faidl will not notleave the neither
not not forfake thee, the greek hath five Ne-
gatives which amount to a ltrong affirmative
of prefencefcproviibn, I W ill not notleave
thencither not not forfake the yea happy, hap
py is the People that is in fiich a cafe,
yea happy is that People whofe God is the
Lord.
9. Art thou tryfted with all fort of troubles,
from all airts at once as Job once was, when
he faid the tcrrours of God fet themfelves
in aray againft me and T>avidy Pfah XLII
7. At the Noife of thy Waiter Spouts all
thy waves and billowes aYe gone over ;^,5yet
happy for all that, why f Thy God hath
fct the moe workers to haften thy Salva-
tion, and intends to do the greater good
Rom. VIII 28, All things work together
for good to' them that love God thy God is,
"a, Mcricde and wonder working God, the
-more affltlzons the more patent way to Heaven
Adls XIV 22. Through much tabulation
mujl we enter into the Kingdom of God, God
makes your afflictions a caft up caufay way
tti
( *99 )
to the very entry of the Palace of Glory*
Hrhat is the Reafon why one Drowns in
the Mire of Pride t another in the Mire
of Malice, another in the Mire of Cove-
ioulnes, it is God hath notcaftupa Ca'ufey
way of arrli£tions to them which was the
catife of Moabes filthifies jtr. IV a. u.
It was eafe and want of arrli£tions, Moab
hath been at cafe from his youth, he hath
not Leon emptied from Veihel t© Vefliel,
therefore his dregs of Sin remaineth in him,-
and his fent of Hell is not changed Pfal.
LV ig. Hecaufe rhelWicksd have no changes,
therefore they fear not God; Doth God bring
all tribulation for thy good, then he either up-
holdeth or Comfcrteth or doetlr both in thefc
troubles, 2. Car. I. 3. 4. God whocomfor-
teth us in all Tribulation fo then tho' an
aiiided People yet an happy People yea"
happy is that People whofe God is the Lord.
Secondly rhey are happy inrtheHoure of
Death, when they take the fodsof "Jordan
to go over and Tails the good Land, for
which they have endured fo much forrcw
in a wearry Wiidernes, why fo ? 1 . There
Covenanted God hath the Kyes of Death
and Hell Indeed if ungodly and great ones
of the World had thee Kyes of Death1
and Hell, they would fend all the Godly
to Kell from their Death Beds, as well as
they fent many of them to fires and Gibbets,
and all the wicked to Heaven, ay, but Chrift
( ?-oa. )
bath the Kyes that's thy comfort Rev L
17. Fear not John lam Lining the? 1 was,
TJead, and I bane tue Kyes of Death and
Hell, mil I that ha-ve the Kys and 'Bridle
of Death) Suffer a Toor 'Body in Covenant
with me to he /wallowed upoj Death, no, no
Hof. XIII 14. 1 will redeem them from
Death 1 will Raiifom them from the Power
of the Grave will I that have the Keys of
Hell ? ever fuffer a Poor .Body in Cove-
nant with me to go there, no, no, there is
as great a difierance betwixt thefe in Cove-
nant with God, the, happy People, and thefe
not in Covenant with God the unhappy
People as was, betwixt Ifrael and Egypt
at the red Sea, Ifmel in Covenant with God
went in paffed fafely through, and in a
little arefinging on the Banks of Canaan, the
Lord is my God and I will exalt him, the
Lord is my Strength and my Song he alfo
is become my Salvation But the Egyptians
entered in not in Covenant with God; and
never one came fafe to fhore are they
not then happy i Yea happy is that People
whole God is the Lord : Thou makes but
a Poor Tcftament, as to the world you may
fay Ihave not much to put in my Testa-
ment to my Poor Wife and Bairns i But
only this to leave my Widow on my God,
and let my Fatherles Children truit in him
but for my Poor Soul I have a' - Rich
TelUment, and it is David's Teftament
( 2or )
2. Sarn^ XXTII 5, IV ^ #b#> U nU
jo isoitt) God, yet be hath made with me M
evcrtafting Covenant, and all my Salhxtiion i
Is in, it and all is in ic my Heart could deihe
and this Teitament the Grave cannot rot
neither eternity were it out are they not
then happy, ? Yea happy is that People
whofe God is the I jrd.
Thirdly they are happy after Death iri
the full Pofleiiion of Goi in Glory to all
eternity 1. Thy Body ihall fleep in Jefirf
1 Thef. IV 14. In the Lore, and Uhdet
the protection of Jefus, who will I oj e nothing.
°f y°uy John VI 39. Not a fmall Sand of
thyDuftbutihallraifeitupat the laft day^
when that call is given awak and Sing, thou
that dwelled in the Duft, and Cant. 2, 4.
O my dove that art in the Clefts oi the
Rocks, and in the fecret Places of the flair*
let me fee thy Countenance let me heir
thy Voice, that Countenance that was cl&i$i~
ed pale and Ghoitly by Death, look foftn
now as the Morning fair as the Moon, clear
as the Sun, let me hear that Tongue tint
hath io long tsen bound up by Dcztli
how fweetly like the looted tongue of zb-
chariah it can i peak and praife God, h<feof
it can fing the Song of Mofes and of ijfo'
Lamb, come away Poor thing that loi M'f
fake God the Prifon the Bar, ancf the . gi-
bbet the dens and the Mountans defaft*
aad cave* of the Earth, who endured ir8n-
Q 6 p?
( 102 )
ger and thirft and Nakednefs, and was coun-
ted as the filth and offfcouring of aJl thing9
your long iinrc Murderers are now Income
your beggars crying give us of yonr oyl
for our Lamps are gone out, but as they
gave you not a Dram of Mercy lb not one
pram of oyl for them, take now the throne
and let them ftand in the pannel and pafs
the fentence once for a1! agamit them, de-
part from Chriit ye Cur fed, and for you
come ye bleffed, go up r/ith God with ihouts
and founding of Victorious Trumpets, but
O happy People what will ye think? Wheu
ye firft look abo ut you in that City the Strcats
Whereof are all beaten Gold, and all the
wall of it fparklir.g with different Pearles,
and when ye fee the Tree of Life bearing
twelve Sorts of Fruits, every Moneth, and
the Leaves of it for the healing of theJNa-
tions, an Orchyard for varity and an Herveit
toL rpetuity, preventinggly healing all deafes
Be vcr one falls lick in Heaven, will you not
then ask the Queftion that Ifrael asked con-
cerning the Mannar i What is that for they
knew not what it was-. What is that all
Glory, Glory; Glory, unconceivable, perfect,
full and everlafting Glorv, what will ye
think i When ye fee the Glorious Trinity,
Father Son and Holy Ghoft, the Father
that laved and gave his Son, the Son that
loved and came to fave, the Holy Ghoft
that Loved and applyed that Salvation, wiU
( 203 )
ye not cry out then, O wondcrfull, did e-
vcrthis Glory do io much for me, and when
ye turn your Eyes to your felves, and fee
your felves all ihining with the Glory
of Chrilh will ye not men ilart the Que it-
on, Is this I is this indeed the Old lo ngiine,
Poor filthy, loit contemned filthy I? h this
be I lee me Itand in fome fecret corner of
Heaven, &: iteall a look through the General
^.Jfemhly of the firit born, and cry the ble-
lings of my Soul that was ready to psriih
te on this Glorious Trinity, Hxllduw), Sal-
vation to him that fitteh on the Throne,
and to the Lamb for ever and ever, your for-
mer Covenants, and this days Covenant, were
all but a betroatching, than is the Solemn
nizing of the Marriage, when Heaven re-
founds with that Song, Rev. XL£ j. Let
us be Gkd and rejoyce and give Honour
to him for the Marriage of the Lamb,
is come and his Wife hath made her felf
Ready, and to her it was given to be arayed
in Fin Lining Clean and whit then the weary
Prifon Garments and the raggs of Sin and
Mortality are laid afide, and the Kobe
Royal of Glory, Life and Imortality
lhali be thy Clothing, for ever and ever
and then ye will have no caufc to rue thafc
this day or any other time you took the Lord
to be your God, and entered in Covenant
with him, and flood by it notwithstanding
all the temptations, you had to break it:
happy are the People that arc in f uch 4
G c % cafe
( 204 )
pfc yea happy is that People whofe God
is the Loru.
1 lhill clofe with fome Direclions to
the ie happy People whole God is the Lord i.
fee very Humble, make not a t jait of it
feat fay what am 1 and what is my Fathers
Houle that thou halt brought me hitherto t
Y^ho made the to differ from another, and
what han thou that thou halt not received i ll
if thou halt received it why does thou bcaft
as if thou received it not. 2. Go home
and pen Songs of Praifes to him, who is
your own Covenanted God Ex. XV i. 2. He
is my God and I will Praife him, the Lord is
my Itrength and my Song, he a] ib is become
my Salvation Tfal LXV11I 20. He who
now is our God is the God of Salvation,
who is gene to Heaven to prepare a Place
for us John 14. 1. 2. And will come
again and receive us to himfelf, that where
he is their we may be alfo, and we who
are upon the Earth have been and fliall
prepare him a Place in the Heart, and a
Place in the Church of Scotland, that where
v/e are there may he be alfo, let him&c us
jjever finder for time and eternity,
3. Take good heed to your felves that you
forget not to prof ucut, the ends of the Cove-
nant, into which you have entered this day
TJeut. IV 23. Take heed to your felves
that ye forget not the Covenant of the
Lord your God which he made with you,
for
( 205 )
for I give you warning, If you mind not
to perform the Covenant of God in a] I the
articles of it but iliall Joyn with abjured
Prelacy, and thefe Men that by Epifcopal
Oaths andPrefentations have given a ftrook,
at the very root of Reformation, or iKall
turn to a curfed indifferancy, and newtra-
lity in the Matters of God, wavering be-
twixt the Covej anted party, and the over-
throwers of Reformation, and ihall not flick
by them, to ftrengthen their Hands in the
work of God, as you have this Day fworn
to the moft hight God, Then all the curfes
of God's violated Covenant iliall come up-
on you, Jer. n. 3. Curfed be the Man
that obeyeth not the Words of this Cove-
nant, that is a Terible word for you and
let it be a warning to you, Nch. V 13.
God Iliall iliake them out of his Koufe, &
Inheritance, and out of all the precious pro-
mifes of the Bible, that performeth not the
Word's of this Covenant, and Eztk XVII
19. furly my Covenant that he hath
broken, and my Oath that he defpifed, it
will I recom pence upon his own Head, and
I will bring him down : And I wil fpread
my net over him and he ihall be taken in
my fnare, thefe are hcavey curfes De-
nounced againfi you if ye fliall break God's
Covenant which need never go out of your
Ears, but make both the Ears of them that
hear them to tingle.
( 206 )
But 2 If yon ihall keep your Covenant
with God, neicher be aJlured by flatteries
nor terrified by frownes, and threatnirg to
break your Vowes, nor to make defection
to the Contrery part2 then the Lord ihall
Heep bleiliags upon you, lhaken together
preiTed dovvn and Running over, Dent.
XXVIII i. If thou/ball keep the Commande-
mtnts of the Lord thy God, all thefe UeJJings
Jhall come upon thee, and overtake tijee, Blef-
fed Jhall thou be in the City, and blejfed Jhall
thou be in the Yield "Blejfed Jhall be the
Fruit of thy "Body and the Fruit of thy
Ground, and all that thou puts thy Hand unto,
Ifa. LVI 5. 7. The ftrtnger that Joyneth
hi'-nfelf to the Lord, te Jerve him and Love
the Name of the Lord, and taketh hold of my
Covenant, even him will I bring to my
Holy Mountain, and make him Joyful in
my Houie of Prayer, their Brunt Offerings
and their Sacrifices ihall be accepted on
mine Altar and how fweet is thatlik Abel
to have our Sacrifices taken of our Hand
and to be brought at laft to the Mountain
of Vifion, and this fliall it be to you who
keep God's Covenant happy ye.
3. Take Chrift to be Caution for you,
and the work will not mater in your Hand,
Pray much as the Pfalmift, Tfal. CXIX
122- Lord be Surty for thy Servant, for
good, and beware of that Religion Deflry-
ing Covenant, breaking, and Reformation
f *07
our thtouing Sin of Prid never will that
Perfon thrive nor ftand to its Engage-
ments that hath a high conceit of its fel$
the Lord Reiiileth the Proud,, but giveth
grace to the Humble; row yen have pub-
lickly taken the Lord to be your God Let
you and him never Sunder again, go in
peace and walk Humbly with your God,
and the Lord hear your Prayers, fulfill your
Defires help you to pay your Vows, make
you exceeding Glad with his Countenance
here and bring you to the eternal fruition
of himfelf in Glory hereafter, and then
you and all the World will be convinced,
that the Lord's People are an happy People
happy is the People that is in fuch a cafe,
yea, happy is that People whofe God is
the Lord,
The Lord's Bleffing follow you where
ever ye go, and bles what you have been
about and to his Name be praife.
SOM|
( 2c8 )
SOME NOTS OF A
PREFACE, LECTUREand
SERMON, the L 0 R D's day
IMMEDIATLY FOLLO-
ING the RENEW IN G of the
COVNANT.
PREFACE.
r.-'ffjjfi r> irrturyirj! rt/rrits/-
m HE Peoph of GOD
are a Peop e that frc-
r
m
qnchtly rc.iew their
I ovenant with God.
Int XXI C i. Tdc
Lord there ^mmanded
tbi 1eo$\e to utiti*
their Coxen tit in the
Land o/JVJbab, n-kjeb
he made mth them at i uitt, xtrfe 10. 11
12. And there Man Woman and Child
Hood up to renew it, and it is the work o£
:^f
( 2o9 )
a Gofpcl Mini iter to pronounce God's
bleiling on the makers and keepers of it
and a curfe oil thefe that wiJl neither
make nor keep it from enemies to God
in their minds, by wicked works, and Ene-
mies to Covenanting with God and fome
that are not attainted with Covenanting
Dayes, were orfenJed when we told therri
fuch things, but they may fee we ought to
Do far from Dent. XXX 19. I call Heaiftn
ttnd Eart/j to wit:nes Xtit "L)ay, that 1 have
jet before you Life and 'Dear/), UeJJlng and
curling, and. Deut. XXIX I keep therefore
• the Words of tuis Covenant, that God' shilling
miv be on you^ and that you May frojper in
ail that ye do, and verfe 19. It jhall come
to ptfs vjf'sen Ik beareth the Word's of
curfe, and blefs himfelf faying, I Jhall hdi£
peace when I walk after tee Imaginations of
my own Heart, the Lord will not fpare Inmi
but the anger of toe Lord, and his Jealotifie
Jhall fmoke agdnft that Man, and all the curfe i
that are Written in this 'Book Jhall ly upon
Vim and the Lord Jhall blot out his' Name
from under Heaven, and feparate him only to
evilly and not only does a. Covenant made
with God in a Land, bind tbefe prefeni id
keep it, under Tain of the Lord's heavy curfe
hut alfo it binds thefe that are not prejent un*
. der the fame penalty verfe 14. \ 15. Neither ,
with you only do I make this Gorcenani cind
this Oathy wittj mm that fmdetb here witb
& ' * ■ m
( ^30 )
hut alfo with him that is not here with us this
d'iy* So all the curj'es of the Law of God
co mts on them that Jhould [Dare Covenanted
and keeped, hut would not, and untill God
dis anuell this' "Bible, and give another Quite s
Contrary to it ye cannot eje ape the Heavy ven-
gance of God, that contemn the Covenant of
God, and wrangle with the Min/fters of ChrijU
•for obeying the Lord in pronoun cig his curfe
Upon the 'Contemners : Yea we do it again
for the Lord hath Curled them, yea and
they iliall be curfed, and I cannot reverie
it : But th'efe that enter Honeftly in Cove*
nant with God, and keep it, the Lord hath
bleffed them, yea and they fliall be bleffed,
and none can reverfe it, they may well
fpew out their Malice againft the People
cf God, untill they be ripe for Definiti-
on, all their wrangling will never keep the
curfe from Covenant contemners nor the
bleiTing from Honeft Covenanters with God.
LECTURE
( 23r )
LECTURE
Tfal L 14. to 19^
TvHe Words Read have Parts 1, Some
thing fpoken with refpect to the God->
ly 2. Some thing with refped to the
Wicked 1. Some thing with refped to the
Godly, fir it the Lord requires of the Godly
that they offer to him offerings of ThakA
.giving, obferve 1. The Godly are debters
to God, and ought to Praife him 1, For
Creation that we are made Men and not
Beaits. 2. For Jefus Chrift 2. Cor IX 15.
Thinks be to God for his unfpeakable Gift,
The Me titer giver blefier, and continuer
of all other Gifts, 3. For the precious
Golpel. PiaL CXLVII 19. He fhmtk
Us word to Jacob, he hath not dealt fo with
any Nation Tfaife ye the Lord for it is Com^
fort in ajflcVon, a refoher of Tfubts, a Light-
to jhe Feet, and a Lamp to the Taffy a per*
feci rul> of Faith ; And Manners, a Mean of
"Cpnvercion'P'l XIX % 1. Gods Law is perfect
D d % convertjua
( 232 )
converting the Sou], 4. For dignifying you
with a Covenant Relation, to be a fpeciaj
Peopje to himfclf and to be a God to yon
when he hath left many without Chrilt, Gran-
gers to the Covenants of prom) fe Epk. II
12. Ex. XV 2. tie is my God and 1 tsoilj
exalt him, my Fathers God arid 1 ivili prepare.
him an balhalion 1 Scotland's Covenanted
God, which Covenant he honoured " you
piiblickly to renew the laft Sabbath 5. For
all his Mercies, provifipri, prefervation, pro-
tection, the uie of Reaion, that ye have
Eyes, Ears, tongues to read his word, to
Hear it preached and to praife him when
others are blind, Deaf and Dumb and 6.
For Crofs Difpentatiqns, that they have
been lefs than your lnniquity deferved and
and for making them work for your God
jBfal CX1X Its good forme may Some
fay that I have been arllcted, for before I
was arrlicted I went aitray But now 1
have learned to keep thy Law 7. For bring
ing you manv times out of trouble Pfal.
CXVI 6. Jims brought loin and be belted
me what JhaJl I render to the Lord for all bis.
benefits ? For he bath delhered my Life fro m
"Death, mine Eves from 'Tears and my Feet
font failing, Render to the Lord offerings of
'TfJdnkfgrcing.
2. Pay thy Vows, when thou enters in
an Oath, and Covenant wich God, perform
what thou Voued to him oblerve when
Pcrfons
( *33 )
Perfons makes Vowes to God its their duty
and advantage to perform thefe Vowes, God
calls for it, pay liiy Vowes :o the Lprd, 2.
It is the practice of the Saints to do fo, Pfal.
CXIX 106. 1 baie Sizoni and 1 will ffrforak
that 1 will keep thy Righteous Judgements.
3 The Lord will have no pleafure in
thee, if thou break to him, it thou halt
vowed faith Solomon ceaie not to pay, for*
the Lord hath no pleafure in Fools, 4.
becaufe if thou pay thy Vows to him, thy
Sacrifices fhall come up with acceptance orj
his alter, and thou fliaU get a gracious an-
fwer, and delivery from trouble then call
upon me in trouble and I will Deliver thee
and thou ih.ill Giorify me, r.Ke ihall De-
liver the irom the Hurt of trouble that thou
yeild not to the Temtatiou to break thy
Covenant, Pfal XLIVT 16. For ail the re-
proach of the E'-e/tv and the avenger -, And
for all that is come upon us yet have we
not Dealt falily in thy Covenant, 2. From
trouble above thy ftrength, he will not fuf-
,fer thee to be tempted above what thou art
able to bear, r. Cor. X 14. But that the
Tern tati on makes way to efcape, ilayeth his
Eaft Wind in the day of his rough Wind
3. SanOify's Trouble, 1J a. XXV 11 8. By
this therefore ihall the Iniquity of Jacob
be purged, and this is all the fruit to take
away Sin 4. Makes the outgate out of
trouble, a young Heaven, and a begun Glory
on
en Earth, when I have delivered thee
then thou fliall Glorify me thou ihall re-
ceive the eihcoll grapes, and grit fruits of
the Land of Promiie in the Wildernes a
faying how the work of the Glorified will
go with them, while they are upon the
Earth.
Secondly there is here the wicked's part
of the Bible, i . a Prohibition, 2, The rea-
sons of it, 1, a Prohibition and a boaiting
ancl Bamming the Wicked out of God's
prefence, as lfliured in with the adverfative
particle But, bnt unto the Wicked God faith
from which obferve, that ever Bleffings the
Lord be flows, on his own Covenanted People
he iniii^s the Contrary Curfes on the wick-
ed Jer. LXV 13. My Servants ihall eat
but ye ihall be hungry, my fervants ihall
Sing for Joy of Heart, but ye ihall weep
for Sorrow of Heart, and houl for vexation
of Spirit, what halt thou to do to take my
Covenant in thy Mouth, or to declare my
ftatutes to Preach my Gofpel and my Cove-.
nant.
Obs; 1. God's wrath flames againft un-
faithfull Miniftcrs, becauie they continue in
Sin thernfelves, Mat. ViL 3. 4. Why he-
boideji thou the mot thai is in thy "Brother^:
Jgyet And heboid efi tint xoe beam that is in
>thwe own Eye, cafi out 0 Hypocrite fwtt the
JBtefl/tf that is in thine own Eye Romans
1L 21. 22. "thou that oUorrcfl Idols dojl
thou
thou commit Sacriied^ La th t ,
thou that pteaCbeff'A^" .?***
thou lie, and .- Tel] J^t Thc> doefi
of England's Covenant wVS6 3^
for Maintaining ¥«]" ' ?^ * <P°n l,s
of the Covenant for IS 55 cgnfi™ation
Obs. 2. The Lorrf f^ IJlg Prelacy-
venant breakers £ fo?0?* *Wc»!
Odious apoftat > v L!e ,1 Conde™ed per-
keep God" CoTeLn, \er wi]] renew nor
what is thy BuW, " ,f ' ^Ut ^throws it,
Covenant 7notS Go^'T?' or who
fit time nowotanvnfitl- Whether ]t tea
Covenant who can M h T lenew Go^
thou fayeft ir is iSte^, , , % WOrf?' *M
?ot to keep A it L r ";rt rCneW if' the»
It, nor not to 'keen iff?" g°°d t0 b™k
fome things at £^as nof *<> fail jn
PerfeaiytokeeptheCom^'7e ™ mt aWe'
fore beft to throw SS3rS?^**«**
Sort of a time mean ve vL & 2- W]lat
o renew Covenan wS, G0cjT *i? ^
Unfit for that b ™™J£$ ■ No time
thou that all that live' ?; ,' -r ,mea^ft
"joftperiih, or £i^kffl this time
Except
Except as Satan takes on the witches, till
once you renounce your Covenant with
God; Indeed Man the Magitirates are little
obliged to ^ou, and will give you as little
thanks for faying ib, was theic ever a time
Man i Wherein it was Impoiible to keep
Covenant with God no, no, not in the
throng time of Heading and Hanging for
the Faith TfaL XLIV 16. For all that
is come on us yet have not we dealt deceit-
fully m thy Covenant, tho' thruft into Prif-
ons as llieep in a pinfold, arid now five
and then Seven brought to the Gibbet, it
was po'ffiblc to keep Covenant with God even'
then much more now when there is neither
Heading Hanging or wringing an Hair of
thine Head, keep God's Covenant as well
as thou pleafeth then do not blame the Ma-
giftrat but thy felf, if thou neither enter Co-
venant with God, nor keep it, how ever it
be concern thy felf with thy cups, thy
Pleafures, profits, and Perjuries,., and never
a Word in thy Head of God's Covenant,
haft thou to do take my Covenant in thy
Mouth t Since thou both hates to be re-
formed, hateil Reformation Covenant and
all, if thou butchirft for tt\^ Common People
fpeak it, it would be the -firft word would
tvme out of thy Mouth.
>
A
SERMON^
AlXldS 9. 9. Vo* lo I ml command $ and t
mil fift the houfe of Ifraet dmongjl all r<*~
ttons, like as corn is fifted in a five^ykt
not the Ua ft grain fall to the Ground.
JN the third verfe of this Chap, the Lord
conplaineth of Ilrael ; that thev were
'become as very Heathens, are ye hot as Chil-
dren of Fthiopians unto me, O Houfe of
Ifrael faith the Lord, fhd* they profefled to
be his People yet they hved as Heathens, and
a Profeflion without pra&ice was very un-
acceptable to him: And therefore he iooks
iipon them in anger, mine eyes are upon the
fitful Kingdom, to deitroy it from the face
6f the Earth, yet referring a remnant, fav-
'ing that I will not utterly deftro#y the Houfe
bf ifrael faith the Lord0
AND in the Words read, he tells them^
tie is about to fet up a trying work among
them, I will fift the houfe of Ifrael, a meta-
phor taken from an Husbandman, that hath
.Jus bam confuted with the Chaff and the
Wheat
I « ]
Wheat, Coke! and Darnel, all in the tote*
heipe herefore opens the doors, and fets all
to the Wind, and fiftsand better fifts ir. un-
til tiie Wheat be feparated from the Chaff*
Cokel and Darnel 2. There is a promife of
preservation to the Gddlie in the lifting try-
ing time, there /hail not the leaft grain fall to
the Ground, the Church by aftli&ion lof-
tth nothing but the Chaff, the baggage and
refute.
Dofh Tint the Church may lay her ac-
count with hiring and trying times, when he
will make them pafs through his paffingfive-
I will fiftthehoufeof Iirael A/4;, j* i2.4his
1 fin is in his hand, and he will throughly
* purge his floor and gather his wheat into
4 his garnel, but the Chaff will he burn with
4 unquenchable fire-
I shall here enquire, u What are thefefift-*
ln£ times ? 2. What are thefe fives with which
the Lord fifts a profeffing People ? g. What
chfeoveries are made when a People are thils
fitted ? 4- What are the Realons why the
Lord thus fifcth a profefling People ? $. Ap^
ply the whole to otir prefenf CirctimftanceS;
i//,What are thde ordinary times ^here-
in the Lord iifteth and iryeth a jifofeflmg
feopte?
. r Z * 1
People ? when fins are come to a great night,
Us the fins of this People, they had to far a-
pcftatized from Gods true wor/hip, that they
were become like very Heathens, with this
aggravation, that they had finned agaioft the
Light of the Gofpel, a fin the Heathens were
not capable of, never having ihe word of
God among them, 4 Are you not as children
1 of Ethiopians uno me, O houfe ofllraei
* faith the Lord ? Lo I will fift you as com
* is fifted in a five,
A fecond fitting trying time is, when men
are guilty of perjury and breach of Cov$-<
yenant Ezek. 17, 19. %o. 4 Surely my Co-
« venant, which he hath broken, and my
1 Oath which he hath difpifed, it will 1 re-
* compence on his own head. And there-
fore Gtod brought King and Subjed tQ tit-
)^lony to fift and try them there*
A third fifting and trying time, is after fo-
|emn Ingagements and covenanting with God
Mat. %5. 35. Peter and all the Difcipleshad
folemniy engaged to God, to ftand by him
tQ the Death, Peter < laid tho' all ihouJd
« fariake *hee> yea, thq* I should die with
4 *hee, Y<;t wiil not f forfake thee^hkewifc
« alio Ui4 ail the- Difciples ; Yea they took
the
C 4 1
(he Sacrament en it, to ftand up to tha
death for him, men comes the Sifting time
Luke xxii. 5!. 4 Simon Simon, Satan hath
1 fought to hive thee, that he may Sift the
1 as wheat and what comes it to at laft Mark
u. 50. the armed men came ? then all the
* Dxlcipies forsake him and Fled. Sataij
and his Slaves defircs to have you Covenan-
ters to Mft you, be on your guard, he iong-
eth to get you in fome fcandalous pra&ice
<pr back 10 join in Society with thele Reli-
gion ovei throwers, which ye have covenant-
ed againft, and they -will blaze it through
the world; and lay thefe are your brave co-
venanters.
A fourth Sifting and trying time, is after
felt experience of Gods Favour : andteafting
of his goodnefs, Satan and his Slaves envy-
eth >ou |uch favour?, and therefore expeft
Jhard pnfets from them : Exo<i* 17.6.8. When
Jfrael h^d juft now drunk of the Rock a
type of Chi ift : then came Ama leek and. f aught
with lirael in l Rephidinu have you, beea
drinking at the Rock of Confoiation this dayx
expefttobe Weighting in Rephidmi to mar-
row.; an4 much if you be not fmitten ^Ifo*
at kail, "ixmai. to. know who hath the beft^
whether
[51
whether Sin or Grace, be therefore on you*
Watch, and hold up the hands of Prayer, for
when Moles hands were down A maieck pre-
vailed, and v, hen ?^Ioies hands were up Ife
raei prevailed.
A fifth Sifting and trying time, is, when
the Lord is about to bring about lome great
and remarkable deliverance to his Church &
People,- So ye fee in Haggai ?.. 6, 7. 4 1
* will shake all Nations,and the Defire of all
* Nations shall come, and 1 will iiRthishoufe
1 with my Gory. The Lord is a mind to
fill his houfe with glory, but 0 what shak-
ings 1 not only among the People of God, but
but among all Nations before the houfe be
filled with glory, wars and commotions, o.
verthrowing of Crowns and Kingdoms, to,
make way for it and we do hot think that
{he Ark of God, and the departed glory will,
feturn to Scetiand,till it be shaken in another
manrer then now it is, and untill there be
greater tumults and commotions, among the
nations about, than hitherto hath been, you
fee how Cfcrifl came to fave when he rill-
ed the lecond Temple with his Glory Vfat.
i. 12. \ He that cometh after me, lath John
f;the Baptift3 his fan and five are ii> his
Hand
£ 6 1
* hand fche will throughly purge his Floor,
* and gather his wheat into his garner, but
* the Chaff will he burn with unquench-
able fire Mat j, ivthereisapromifeofChrifts
coming to lave, behold he shall come
* faith the Lord of hofts,but who may abide
€- the day of his comings for he is like a re-,
finersfire and fillers fope.
A fi>tt fifiing and trying time, is where
the Vfiniftry are turned corrupt Mai. J. 2,
3. ' Wheji hec^mes and fiueth, as a rcfin^
\ er and purifier of filler, to purify the Sons
c of Levi, that they may oflfcr to the Lord
c an offering of Right^oulnefs. He will (hake
the N scions through other, and through o-i
iher, until he Qiit;e our A/insfters,wi:h their
wic&ed offerings., and plant his Church with
holy /k/irxirt^rs : to offer to the Lord an offer*
ing of Rishreoulnefs: Lord haftcn thattime^
and we fhill be content to hide a (hake,
A Seventh fifiingand trying timers, when
a People ar« noc only deep Revokers fiQO>
(Jod^ and his. pure /ntikuuoas : hut; alfo ar©
come totjut hight of Jmpudency, and wick-
edaefc; as ra deny (in, fcnd defend their
innocqnei^ Jec< 2, 5$. Mieq^ufethou i>ve(^
' i am ianoeem, forejy \m ^^ & \\ b©,
lumedi
* ■■ {
t 7 3
ibrnect away from me, I will yet plead
frith thebecaufe thou fayeft 1 have riot fill-
fed. What then may we expeft, that for'
all oar fteps of Aroftacy, fwearingahd lor-
fwearing yet impudently plead not guilty,
the Ordinances were neve!* purer* the Go*
fpel nevei* more faithfully* preached* fince
the Apbftles days* thefe Oath* are ot out*
own making, and an3 hedge about thd
Church and a confirming of the Cevenanr*
whereas if fliams would let them fpeak
truth, they would lay guilty \ The Ordi-
nances were never more corrupt firtce out*
Reformation f om Poprie* nor the Goipel
more unfaithfully preached fince the Ago*
files days, to/hat by conciling of fin* thedu-
tys, and dangers of the day* and what by
picking Out juft as, much as gain a lively^
hood, and pleale men in place and pow-
er, and what by mifapplying the word of
God, denuncihp the threitnings aginft the
godly > and apply tog the promifes to back-
flidersj They fhould alfofay, if they would
tor fharfce dedare the thing as ic is, that
thefe Oaths are of the Biihops of England*
Waking and impofingjand arc an overthrow-
ltXgt a&d abjuring ot the Covenant, and a
hedge
( s )
feedge about the Ertglifti Church.
An eight fitting and crying time, is, when
hothihg foot Citing; rryi.ig and ?ffii3io:*s
will reclaim a People Jer. 22.21.2S c I
4 ipake to thee in ihy Profperity and thou
* uouldft not hear,this hith been thy fiiia-
* ner from thy ydtitH- that thou haft noc
' obeyed the voice of the Lo;d thy G:>d,
* I will therefore give the unto the hands
* of therii that feek thy life, whofe face
' thou feareft v, 7. I will melt them, and
* try them; for what eife fhal! I do, for
€ the Daughter of my People : Nothing
felfe will do it 2= Chron. 36, 1 5. 16, Kent
' thy fervants the Prophets rifing early and
* fending them • becaufe I had companion
' ontny People; But they mocked mv mef-
* fengers, difpifed my words, and mifufed
* my Prophets. Until] the wrath of the Lord
aroie againft them,and there was no Reme-
dy, and delivered them to S vord, Capti-
vity, and defolaton, it is as much in vairi
for us to preach Repentance^ to them that
are thus dead fpiritully? as to preach td
thefe in the grave* whofe fouls are in hell;
for they will not repent^ all that we get
u iaifguidtd5 iliwilledj regrgashedj arid a«
aSitled therefore when peire and prof-
penty, and G)i*pel exhortations will nor do
it: expel i lifting trying, melting time., for
how Jhiil I do for the Di tighter of mvPeo-
jbie Ifii. 5. 4.. 5. 4 The i ord took all tLe
4 pains could be taken on the vineyard, fenc*
c ed it with the hedge of Civil, Beclefuftick
difcipline: And divine protection, removed all
impediments,^ fetthe Wine pre is of Chidft
Crucified, that they might have recoil tic to
him by Repentance, for refre/hment, but X
bttmght forth wild gripes, fin in fteid of
kdiinefs, therefore the Lord takes aWa] thfs
hedges, that it may be eaten up and tfoden
down ; a!asi who Gin live when Cod dcth
flfius try things. Such times are with us row;
and therefore we may expe& we fliafl
Save very lifting times, aid itrange diLo e-
fies of hvpocrify.
The fecdnd thin?, is, to shew what ir4
thefe fives, wherew.th the Lord fifts and
Itys a (idfui People ? t He puts them through
the fmilLfive of worldly prosperity & abun-
di nee oTfhe things of the world : immediate
lv after they fail into Sin, and this judici-
ally hardens them in their Sin, andxnafceS
t Vea fallen Miaifters to U-j} new are * e
B* uot
f "to 1
cr+ tvifef than thefe that fiiiTered in tile late
(UGfles* who v, erctoo hot headed ;and flood
ftpOntriffies^ and irritat the Magifl rate incon*
rately, and dyed in error and loft their
h pends and broke their families., alas poor
fools they do not lay to heart, that the Lord
is fifriig them with the five of profperity*
which nuns many Prov. u 31. c The prof-
* parity of fools deftroyeth them, they will
liave Stipends come what will ; and ay yeild
tfie more for the Livelyhood, andtemp^
God the more for the Peily, like thefe wick*
ed hVaeikes m the wildemefs tempted God
Pfa\ 78. 19- %6* c And faid can God pre- |
4 pare a table in the wildernefs ? Can he
give his people drink and Fie*h? the Lord
was wroth and feafted them as they defir-
&d /But when the meat was in their mouth
the w;rath of God came upon them and ]oi>*
26. 9?, c When he is about to fill hisbel-
& ly, the Lord cafleth upon him the fierce-
1 nefs of hiswrath* Jf they wrill have wealth
let th^m have it, it may come to that, that
the Lord give the proud covetous ring-
leaders of thena, Stipends enough 5 even the
) hops rents? and that will lift them to the
piirpoie; for a profpercus condition is vc-
[ 1' ]
ry dangerous Beu . $%. iy. « The Lor<3
4 made^ them ride on t;*e hie places of I lie
' c Earth, gave the increafe of the field, and
* honey from the Hock, but Jefurun wax-
* ed fat and kicked, and forshok the God
4 that made him, and lightly eftccmed the
* Rock of their Salvation. And the Lord
faw it and auhorrecj then], fed horfes kick
at their Matters,
A iecond five that the Lord takes to fife
and try his People, is the five of honour
and preferment, fa up thefe of the
greateft profeffion, to be members of Parii-*
ament, and they will hear and communis
care with Prelats, and take their Te#s, and
Oaths, and I fear if trved, they would give
their voice manvof them a.aainft the people
of God, The five of preferment is a very
fearching five-, 1 mind when the Prophet
looking upon Hazael wept ?. K/»e- 8. i%«,
1 j. * Why weepeth the Prophet ? the pro-*
' phet told him, b^caufe of the evil he
* would do the Lords people, burning their
* ftrong holds with fire, riping up the weo*
« mea with child, and killing their youjisj
* m\ei> withthe Sword , what mb Hazad?
$ Am I a dog $q do io gj$*t vnQfetasfej
t r* 1
* filch a dog he was, and the Prophet tells
* him whit was the Reafonof it, heshoud
1 coin? to great preferment, the Lord hdth
* shewed me that thou shait be King of
* Syria. When one would comfort a man
o ice7 on the brink of Defpair, faid he Mas
rot to great 3 (inner as Manaileh, the poor
mm anlwereJ I would have been as great
a Sinner, as ever ManafTeh was, if I hadliv-
ed in ManafTetfs time, and been upon his
Tiirone: And wre may fee fomething of it
in our own day, let a piofefled Presbyterian
who by l}is very profed on is bound to ex-?
ft rpate f'r^lacy to theouttermofl of his Pow-
er, ;tt fet him up- a ftep to l:e a Ruler in the
Piice, and ye shall fee himuie his power in
defence of Prelacv ; Take heed for profpe-
r.tyand preferment, are two fearchinger Sives
th in the moft part are awar off.
A third Sive wherewith the Lord Sifts 8t
tr-eth a People, is, the Sive of erronious and
hypocritical ' Minifters, who. overthrow Reli-
gion under a fair profeffon, of whom the
Lo^d comp'aineth //i, 9. \6. c The leaders
* o? this People caufe them to err. andthefe
f thai ar? ltd of them are defrayed. An<j
comanndeth not to hear iueh, Mat, 15, t**
la
t '3 1 .
* let them alone they are blind leaders of
* the bimd, andif the blind lead the blind
V both fall into the d#h« To preierve his
People from luch, the Lord firft giveth his
Sheep his ear- nail, to difcern betwixt his
voice in the month of faithful Minirers; 8c
a ftrangers voice in th^ mouth of thefe hy-
pocrites Jobv ic. 4. 5. i Mv Sheep know
* my voice and fobow me, and a ftranger
they will not follow. % He fealethand fecur-
eth them, that they be not blown away
with the wind of Errour R^v, 7. », The
winds of errour are reftrained, till firft the
Servants of Gcd were fealcd, of all the fore
plagues that Cod inf lifts on a people, this is
one of the greateft, when the fountain of the
Sanctuary waters runneth with poifon,
V'ouldyou not fay that lire were gone, in a
Siege when the enemy had poiioned all the
ftreamsthat fupplied them writh drink,to re-
fresh themfelves, they are cheated, and poi-
foned,if the Prophet put wild grapes in the
pot, all that cat thereof, cry alas there is
death in the pot. And this lsagreatdifcove-
ry, which Sifts out thelethat are not Ch rifts
Sheep to follow thefe falfe hypocrites, a fad
fanunner cf deftructicn 1J*. 9 1 j,.r 5, 1 6J the
Lord
*■ Lord will cut off i f rael head and tail, branch
c and rush in one day, the anient and honou-
rable he is the head, • the Prophet that teach
eth lies he is the Tail, for the leaders of
this people caukth flu m to err, and them that
are ledof them are detiroed. What is here
laid may iufficientiy aniwer thole that fay what
have we to do with Mimfters Sins ? If you
follow them you have as much to do with
them as themfelves,
A Fourth Sive wherewith the Lord fifts
and trysa People, is, the Sive of Perfecu-
nons and LolTes, Mat. 13.21.22. * They
* anon with Joy receive the Word, but
* when Tribulations and Affl.ftionsarife fof
4 Chrifts fake, and the Gofpcls, by and by
■ they are offended, will they loft their life
for Chrift? no, what then will they lofs a
great Pofteflion for Chrift? no, they go a*
way forrowing, Mark^j. Chrift fends
Swine and Devils a packing together, and
then they befoughr him to depart out of
their Coarts, they rather have the Swine and
the Devil with them, than a Saviour with*
out Swine ; yea they will not abide gibe or
a jeer for Chrift, this is a very trying Stve,
by which many a,re caft,
A filth Siv^ wfcrewjih the Lord fifts
and
and frys a People, is the Sive of Satans fob-
tile Temptations m.freprefenting Scripture
to Perions,thus he te dap ted Lhr\i\7Mat, 4.6.
4 Caft thy felf down, for he (hall give his
4 Angels charge ever thee, and in theitf
hmds they (hall bear thee up ( But he holds
onr, fhail thy wa)t) would haveChrifl leave
0od*s ways and obey Satan, and yet lean to
the Promife : But if we lock for God'* Pro-
teQion, we mult keep Gods ways, So Rom;
16. 17- His luftiumentscame with mifrepre-
tended Scriptdre, to prefs union with them,
tmark thofe, fay thcy% thit caufe Devifbns &
OrFences, and avoid th<m, for they feivenot
the Lord Jefas Chrift, but their 0 ,vn Bellies:
but they hold out comtary to the Do£Hne
which we have received : finfully prefling
to keep Union with them, whither that U*
nibn be contrary to the Doftrine of the Gof-
pel or not, many who lay they are Apofiles
and are not, are tryed by this means.
A Sixth Sive, u herewith the Lord fifteth
a People, is, the Sive of corrupt Chureh cen-
fure, and fcourgc of Tongues of corrupt
Kitk-men, and~manv will forfake Chrift's
caufe; led they be Excomrnunicat by fiicH,
•ud nothing mors ordioary both in the Old
and
^Inrt New Tefbmen r, then fuch falreTefi
Excommunications, I/at6b. 5. 4 Y rur Bre-
4 thren that heater! y^u, and eaft you out,
( hxcommunicated you) tor my Names
ike; and yet pointed Hypocrites; they
tell a rooked tale when they fuve done
ir, 0 quoth they let the Lord be Glo-
rified ; they would rmke well mean ing Peo-
ple believe* it were iov the Glory of Go 1 ;
but the other fide of the tale is, we fball
caft out theis People oi (/od, and tf there!
be a God, let Hirti get Glory in bringing
them ihi but we b'a?c in ihe fini place giv«
en them Difhonour and a detyance in cart-
ing rhem our, hue what followetn, he dull
ippear to your Joy* and the\ fhatl be a*
{harried. So did the corrupt Church in the
l)ays of Clmfts incarnation ]oha^i 22. 34.
they had agreed 3(tTlang t&emfefre's 5 that if
any eonfeffed that Jefus was the Chrri;
he fhould he put^utofthe Synagogue* thac
Was Excomrriunicatej and a srg;t bargairj
cf that 1 for as it is not Death, mtt thecaule
that makes a Martyer, fo no' the Sentence*
but the caiife, tliat makes oni fi>;eomrruini-
Cantfelfe we would ail be Ft; fnmunicat b/
the Pope oi L\omt> and hi§ Haw Or^en bofrt
( i7 i
Prent'ces <n this f me Nation, tfco* they h«vd
neither Wit ner Power, >et they have Ma-
lice enough to venture, tor roihing bolder
th*n a fclmd Horfe; but * hat the wotfe
was the poor Blind Man, u hen they cait
him out of their corrupt Communion, I hnft
receives hun into communion, with him-
felf, and makes an of the greudt difcove-
ries of hinntelf to him, thu ever he did to
any jn the day* of his Flefh, when JtfuS
findeth him, he faith to him doeft thou be*
lieve on the Son of GOD? he laid who is
he Lord, that I -might believe on him? He
Anfwered, thou tuft both fetn him, and he
it is, that tslkerh with thee.
A Seventh Sivc, wherewith the Lord
fif eth and tryeth a People, is, the five of
corrupt ftatutes from the Magiftrate, £&km
20 24, 25. i Becaufe they have difyifed my
* ftatutes; therefore I give th*m ftatutes
* that were nor good, and Judgements
4 whereby they ftiould not live, fuch are
ftatutes and commands, coming out from
a Court; to fee up ralfe Worfhip, Dan.^.
5.6. 4 To you it is commanded^ O People
* Nations and Language ; rrut ye Wor-
[ ibip my Gods, orelfe ye (hull be ihrowrj
C imo
r it )
4 into * T*irrMn£ f ,rc Furnace. Such cftfn-
muids rnav fe^m tiood in a Mans eyes; and
yer the end thereof he l>eathf Prc^, 14. 12.
Many exaVnpks of rhis in //r**/, ind oihtr
Nations, how fuih Sr^rures have been fenl
cur froitl Antbonry, ss were nor only Ruin-
i '•?» ro the Souls, bu? ro the Nations, HI. $.
II. Therefore i' \s faid bphratm isopprtffld
fc<ul broken in Jidgemenr, becaufe he will-
ingly walked after the Comrmndment of
ill Rulers ; but you fee the Moih breeds in
the Cioath that coniWes ir, becaufe they
k^rt not the ftatures and Judgements of
the Lord; therefore he fets over them fuch
Rulers, as give ftatutes that ere not good,
and judgements by which Men cannot live ;
rhis is a very trying five.
An Eight five, Whirewlth the Lord fift-
eth *nd tryeih a People, is the five or their
neirefl: Relations, this Jaam was fihed to
purpote by his Wife, fo was [Job, Jot> 29.
c Curfe God 3nd d«e, and retain thy inre-
c rarity no longer, what would 1 fei ve that
Cod thu tokes all from true that thou baft,
srsH mkes thy Lfe mvehiucr thin Dearh,
fcvhat pains are many Relations at to difwade
their friends from performing thatfervice to
God
( iQ V
God, that will hazard either life or gear,
harken not to fach Relations, their council
is cruel to the outmoft degree, tending to
the cifting away both of Soul and Bod< ,
thou art more beho:den to them than fcarce
fees oice in the jfeven yeirs ; than to fucli
Relations. Do as PM did G'.i. 16. c v/hen
* it pleafei the Father to rcvtal his Sol in
? me, immediately I conferred not with Fiefh
4 and blooj. And what a tryai inch Rela-
tions hive been to lome is not unknown
in this place of the world.
A ninth Sive wherewith the Lord fift-
eth a People, is, Teople of other Nation^
1 will fift the houfe of Ifrael among the
Nations, like as com is fifted in a five //it
28. 7. with People of another fpeech, and
of a ftrange Language will I teacli this Peo-
ple, this we fear may be our tryal.
A tenth five wherewith the Lord fiftcth
9 People is, The Use of a violent death, fo*
rhe Gofpel, and caikth to (owe to refill e-
ven to blood ftriving againft fin Rev. ^.\c._
4 Satan ihall cift fotae of you into prifon,
4 be thou faithful to the death, and i w:l!
4 give thee a Crown of Life. And v/hen
the Lord puts a People through fo miuM
and
f p 1
tnd that fo trying U es too, and confider*
ing how wiifuii and unwilling this Gene-
ration is to luffer any thing for Chnii,may
we not take up this Lamentation over this
Nation, Aiasi Who can live when God dotb
tins. ft
Thirdly, I am to fttw, that eVe Scor/a*i
go through ah thele tmng fives., there wifl ;
be many parted hyppcrifes found an,< <rg
us; e're we go through all thele Sv es tjtra
Will be many a Knave difcove red, that there
is no word of yet ; eVe we go through all
thefe Sives, many a woif will be difcove red
that have a sheeps skine on their back:th§'
bcr.ie skin will be left which now makes
a fair Show, and the wolfs teeth that are now
hid wiii appear reed with Saints blood, yet
e're SfrtiA»a go through a!! thcfe Sives,th$
fconeft Minifies, and the honeft Profefsors^
cf Sco!/>n will be far loorer courted, than
our men with too much charity thinks yet,
at is lad Amtm V <• 4 T'ht city that went
1 out by a rhoufrnd, shall leave an hundred,
* and that which went forth by ane hun-
* dred shall leave ten to the houfe oflfraei.
But I fear e* re SaxU*d go through allthtfe
Sives, the Mu^srs tlut are -low counted
f *t 3
0 tTioufand (hall be counted by rcn \r.$cii<
jand. In tuch a fit ing time among he ml*
ciple-, rherc was one to betray Churt; Buc
1 tear ekven and mat y mo fcots Mioiftcrs
Ktrty Ch;ift, * here one owns him : I feaf
cur Scots ^oitflots go through all ihde fiVil
trtFe fh 11 feajrec be twelve leh, of as rna«
jiy as would cover the grs^reft mountain
ki the Nation ; And ihclc fh.ugQ-away be
ri) uft pauOch, asfeemed at ruft to be mot
for CJbrjft, Read J^» 6. And ice luchvdfk
multitudes following Crnift, as cloathcj
the mountains, and a link (hake in he five
j ©I divj e doitune, cle^nged ihe fields of
the foul Carcafesof them; v. 66,* Thcfe
4 arc hard faymgs, who can hear them,
* mmy therefor, ot the Difciples went ba? k
*nd walked nomoe wih him: howman\ ?
Twelve, only % Aftrf Jeiusfaid tothetwtke
4 will \e alfo go away. Now who were
thtfe that wenr awa\ ? even Gich as pro*
it (Ted much mote than the twelve v. i~9
thtle that would ttke Churt by torce a-n#
HMke him a King, but the por twelve (A\*\
cd with lower S?ils,ai d yet they ^tay whe<i
tie others are away ty on them, and a\\
: tUk h«ii to nuke turn a Kii.gi and mm
Jt V:fs to Herod the one day,md not a An-
gle foul of them bit ran to the Devil (he
TKXtday. which minds us of what fome
forward people faid to |if| at the time of
the firft ()ith: On are you in your bed
yer, and the Ki k of Go:l gone, and no^
h ir he go ie, they $re gone with it ; Ai\\
J will tell you, tVe Sco land go through
thtfe ten fives yet, many poor bodies vi ill
be found fu.oelfoik, that are not thocglic
to be fo : Some grains of precious wheat
hide under a hud^e heap of Chaff, and
P-Uthrie, but fhy till the Lord open his
barn doors, and tike thefe tea trying Sives
in hb hand and roll away the Reproach of
Egypt* and fet tht Chaff to the wind/fa4
it will appear that theririt. bhul be laft, and
the iaft firft yet, Ma:. 7. 1 5. 18. \ When
4 thefe that- work wickednefs are fet up, 85
* they that tempt Goiare exalted, then shall
ye return, and qifcern between the righte-
oas and the yrfckftl, buwixt, them thit
feared the Lord, and the n that fear him
not. All appear to feir Gol now, but ftay
till God fet up a Ma^iftrite that shall be a
Terrour to them that do well, and fee whe-
ther the fear of God, or the fear of man
kave
f s? 1
five tte'iay for whatfoever fear is real ft
will beat out prttcr.dcd fear, if the fear
of God, be but ai> hypocritical pretence then,
the fear of man will beat it out; But to de-
i'ce.id to pait'cuiars I shall shew in thefe
fo,lowujg fteps what difcoveries slufl be
made bv thefe ten Sives in the Sifting times.
Firft, it wiii fift many out of their great
pofsefFons Job* 6. 5c. 66. ( Thefe are hird
4 layings who can hear them ? man*' of
* his Diiciples went back, but never went for-
ward again, many then will appear drofsnoC
goid, chaff not wheat, apoftates notapo^les:
look mm thou be right mettal, for Godfets
the to the five and to the wind, the fire and
the furnace, the touch Ron^ and the bal-
lance, it will not be what thou appears,
but what thou shalt be after thou haft pail
tjbejtryal, fo ne that held up the hand iwear-
ing to God the laft Sabbath, mav have up
the hind fvrearing the contrary, e're they go
through all thefe ten fives yet.
Secondly, before many Minifters and great
Head -pieces go through all thefe ten fives,
it wiii fift them out of their politicks and
prudentials, and gifts of preachir gvet, Ifear
cuay that shake their he^ds m the pulpet
c n )
Witri courage, and an clepant TftftptJe Sin«f
dunb yet, and God rake the gi'tsfjon, them
he hath already taken them from loirit two
cr three in this fatriecountrey Sideband this
is but anearneft of what shall be, before all
the pliy be plaid yet, thefe things aie but
the beginnings of tono*', the nice God
fhke and fitt them out of the r Politicks,
r d prudentials, many learned Clerks ac
their Allembly when this work begsn faid
tin? prudent muft keep filence at this time,
for it is an evil time, yea, but the faith-
ful cry the louder, and fpare not the worfc
the time be, the wile Cleiks faid «-e will
Jcild a flep, we cannot ftate our fuff.nngs
Kre and this will be our wifdom; But I.
*»II ttil you or all this play be plaid, the
Council of Achitophel will be turned to
( coli (hnefs yet, when it cometh once to that
with it r Cor. i. 25. 26, ' Where is the
Su-ibe,or Minifter? Whete is the wife man
Where is thedifputer of this vorld? hath
r>ot God chofen the foohfh things of the
v odd, to confound the wife? I fear thefe that
hiage fo much of their witdom like thtfe
}tr, i8 ty. I8. 'Shali wiidom penfh from
! the wife, aud couucil hum the antenc
foil
Cvl! h"d thit witdqWiodeed bathpeHfh-
cd »« < m the *a iic, and toiinfel from tbearf*
tienr ; They thought it a wife counfel to
fiiKmu ro fin, and take a bacldtepor tworo
fhun fuflR ring, u hat was this but to unlock
the door ? and fet it up an inch, until! ihe
ccray got in fiivhXqcf , hthold how te cloif
it ag*iniYoa ho i^ht it your wifdom to fly
in all baft cite, charge, ditchargc, excom-
municate aHthat will preach the truth, ai d
againlt your fins that th>s was the way to
fee u re you : Bmc. it to yeild to (In, and ptr-
iecure holinefsyb§ wifdben then the Rabies
oi the Church of Ifrael were wife, when
they confuhed tok.11 Chn(l,le(hhe Romans
fhould come and takeaway their place and
-Nation but couniel fealed here from the wife
there fo doing was the reafon why the Ro-
mans did come, and both unchurch and un-
ration them, no wifdom like that to ktep
Gods Commandments Da,?. 4. 6 No folly
like rhjt to breck them, a long *s wekeeg
Gods Ccmn^ndmenis we have w fdotm < -
rough to counterbalance the great* it couic
politicians in the Wodd,yea& much more too
Thirdiy e7re niany go through all thte
five* yet, the greitsU pan fliifl DC fiued o\ c
( 2* )
cfrbrir excellent refolutjbns, vows and en^
f- g< merits, to (land by the intereft of Chrift,
■he a d the plfciples had all refolved and
pomikd Mat. ±6. 35.' Tho'sllfh^uld for-
* 1 ke.rhu, yet W;.l not I, likeways alfofaid
* the) all : And yet Peter denied him with
an Oath, a n<3 Mark 14.5*0!* When the arm-
4 td men came to ^ppuhend him, then all
* ihe diiciples forflick him and fkd. ft
is eafie revolving to goto communions, &
pn mifing ro adhere clofely ro Chrift. But
& little more cumbeifome when a com pa-
iv ( i udc loldiers comes cuifing witq cock-
ed pift!es, ard draun bayonets at your
breafH, 2nd it fuch a fifting time fiftedthe
A pi ftes out oi their former resolutions, tho*
tl ey repented agidin, and took up and re-
newed their former promiies and refolutt-
1 s O what rbnll come of rmny duble hy-
pocrite 1 who fh«dl be filled out of all for*
rr.er prcmiles, and resolutions, that rhey
tefolve sgaintr, be upon your guaid and
|ei mere Arength than your own, other- j
Fays a filing time will fife the out of all
thy refc-Jii? ions, and promiies ever thou made
to God, tor there is greater edds than ye
Ji-ge aware ot bttwixt your refoiving time
and your lifting time. Fourthly
t #7 y
Fourthly, before we goV^rnu^ ?H tfvfo
ten fives, many v? ill N fifed our ot the r
firm faith, that it fhall be^in to waver, 'tori
er and fall about their tars: and that. even
out of fome great foundamental truths of
the Gofpel : So were the t^o hundred d if-
Ciples Luke 24.. 2t. like to be ftaken out'
of their faith in Chnft ■ We trufted i-y
J they that it hnd been he, which flioiiid
c have redeemed Ifr^el, but ve btgin 1$
idoubt and qneftion it now, I ma\ \av to
many that thinks their faith as well tick*
ered and bottomed, toabo'e a fiftj»g tior*6
\i/hat Chrift faid to the difcijries Jehu 16.
j«. 32. ' Do you now bilievc, verily I
* %y unto you the time is coming, whtn
1 ye fhall all be fcattered, and len'e me a-
f lone, its a bonnie time a day, for ycu
now to begin to believe, when I ?m juft
going to be parted from you, and O b?K
ye be veggie, and think your fclves u cfi
buckled, >ou now believe, but a fhake or
two in the five of tfyal, will nuke eve-
ry one of you fly for it, and leave me a-
lone for all that it is come to with the
beft cf you yet, look i* come nor to that
with it jet? that thde ihit thiuki then*.
lelvss
( 2? V
fT*e< f\rcft, the faftefl away, and leave
i h ilt A me, t'ie you ftand long in the
umi among trnfe ten trying fives, in Gods
b»:n door : And if the rigteous and bell
fe^ured fc^rcely be faved, where fh*;l the'
fcingodly finner, and |fclf fecker -arT^r ?
\\ here^vvay jn all the world willj-hcyga
in the fifcing time? I wonder much, vea
rather wheraway will they rot go? Ycij
v-ill never get them in a fixed condition
tiM once they be in hell, and there they '
wiM ferrle, but never untill they be there.
Fifthly. Befcre ye go thrcm h all thefe
ten fives yer, many horeft body 'hat hath
e clear confcUhcc to day wcith is afwtec
feut to them, will have their j «y turred
i-tc heaviness : Perer \\oor man ent^ed fchj
tryal valiamlv, and fought it with the fword
and a clean confeience, bu: before jta enry
four hours, I might have {aid the half of
them ge -id about, the man hath fotfworn
his Maiier,, his aorafor* is pone; he goes
out and weeps bitterly his head like to rive
h s heart hke to burftout out at his broad
fide, in a very lamentable condition, like
to be fvvallowed up, and brought to the
guve with foaow, in your covenanting
dajsv
( *9 )
rhvs, ye were rrmte a ceding ghde with
bis Countcn-HHC,, but in yru« fitting 6a\$
yofb may come <o that uvh uLiu. i „ 2.
16 4 weep luiriiiihe ni^h? a« d jvur iears
4 on voir ch^t k, b.rC3ute the comforter
fttat ("bond relieve your foul, is tar re-
moved tram \ou, becauie ot Tome m<tca-
maes in rrv* mul, ecying rny hope ani
my ftrength is perished from the Lord* wnl
he be gratious .no more, feais his promiie
for ever, hath he shut up his tender mer-
cies in his u rath, hark O empty profeffor
painted fepuichre may the beft b ckied
godite be thus fifted out of their comfort,
what t:.en shall come of thee ? thou shall
be fifted out of heaven, andhappmefs, and
may be :ome of youdrouned in the black
p;iiph of defpair like Spira,, who in the
lift j.g time denyed the truth, and dyed in
ddpar, a fm agiinft the remed •', alas who
can me when God doth thefe things.
The Fourth Thing, is, to give iome Rea-*
fons why jhe Lord Sifts his profeffing Peo-
ple, r. To prevent their Sin: *]et. 48. it.
1 Moab hath been at eafe from his yauuh,
1 he hath not been poured from veiiel to
K vcfselj therefore his teaft remained in him,
and
( ?o )
c and his (cent is not changed. Eecaijfe,rtie
wicked hive no chmges, therefore the, fcir
not God. "When I/yael was in an afflich.4
condition, Dm?. 32 to. 16. Jt is fiid. the
Lord alone did lead him, and there, was no.
ftrange God with him ,• but when he. came
to a fetled condition, then he wa>ed fat and
kiked and forfake the God that made him.
2. To chaflen and correct for o nr j'> . ,o.
it. c I will correct the in meaiure, and I
4 will net leave thee altogether unpuniiixd.
3. To dean|f froorSm, if a. 27 8 9. He |
c ftayeth his rough wind in the day of his Eai |
c Wind, by this therefore ihall the Iniquity I
c of Jacob be purged, a^d this is all the fruit I
to take awav his Sin.
4. To difcover the reality of Grace in |
fome doubting Perfons, that thought they
would fall away if ever a lifting time came,
they were (o feared to own Chrifts cauie at
the beginning, that they ftealed fecretiy a-
bout the work, when none faw them, like
Nzcrdemury John 7. who came to Chrift by
Night, but yet when the Sifting time came,
he owned Chnft on^ the Crois, took him
down and Buried him, when there was
r*one to own him, J&tw 16. 38. 39.
5. To make them long and prepare foe
r st 3
Clor f,wliere the trying Si\ e fhall be laid afide>
& rhev shali fleetly fing, tho' Men have nde
over oui Head, & tho' we have palsed thro*
'many tryais both Fire and Water, yet thou
halt brought us to a weal thy place.
6. To difcover thofe lee ret Sins, that lurk-
ed in the Hearts of many of them, as fet-r
his finfuli fear that he never Dreamed of
before the tryal came : the beft Saint ere he
go through thefe Sives will fee all was not
Cold that glitered with him,
7. To puree out the Wicked from a-.
mongft the Godly, the Lord fends Sword
and War, and lets all through other for that
end, I will fift the Houfe of Ifael as Corn
is fiifted in a Sive, and the Sinners of my
Peop'e shall die by the Sword, who fay the
evil shall not overtake nor prevent them, they
lake all Lowns gates both to evite trouble
themielves, a;.d to brin£ trouble on the Peo-
ple of GOD: Thus he lifted Ifrael, and
yhar tocb, through the Waves of the Red Sea:
So Mordicsi and the If' elites were fifted a- .
mongthe Babylonia*! ^ to the mine of tfeeir
Enemies. Rev. \q \g The Beaft and the
Kings of the Eitth are gathered together a-
giinil Chrift and his People, to their own
sfc-ftrutUon, aad the Beaft was taken; When
the Godly are I&e to Rente amonpft B;ngs
of Hypocrites, Wheat amongft Chaff: then
the Lcrd takes the Sive of Tryal, and lets all
to the Wind together, and mikes a l'epa ration ;
then many Godly that were hid and appear-
ed nothing, and were diipifed of the Proud,
are found to ftand our the Tryal,. and hold
fait every hoofeofthe Truth, be the Danger
vhat.it will, & many that feemed good wheat,
appears now to be nothing but Tares:
Alice i who can live when God doth this.
We come now to the Af plication ; May
(he Church lay her Account with Sifting
and Trying times, then try whether ye be-
long to God, and the ShTe be in his Hand,
or whether ye belong to Satan and the Lord
lath left thee to be Sifted of him, and you
may know it thus ; Satan fifes out all that
looked like good ; did thou look fair upon
it with a fplend;d ProfefTon, Satan will int
away that, and thou will lay it afide, and
thou that profefed Chrift head of the Church,
with that Multitude that cryed Hofanna to
ipse Son of David, blefsed is the King
that cometh in the Name of the Lord,
in the Golpel Dav; but the nextdav
lite Rough Wind nfcth, and Saun lavs 1
luve
f 33 )
I have got the Sive now, I will try what
fort of Mettalyon clamorous Youths are of,
and or ever Satan had given them Two or
Three makes through other, their Profefliori
difappears, their Voice is altered, and their
hidden Malice at Chrift appeareth, and the
whole Fields are deafned with the .Din,, and
Helliflinoife, yabble, yabbling, and bellow-
ing out, Crucify him, Crucify him, Safari
hath win about with them now. 2. thofe that
belong to Satan when the Sive is put in his
fiiand, he fiftsout of them, that which ap-
peared faithfulnefs, in Corrupt hearted Mini-
fters, fo Judas Preached well, and feemed
a Faithful Apoftle, as long as the Play was
fair, but up gets Satan the Sive and fays, I
lhall know in a little what for a Eoy yon
Minifter is, and fo Satan toffes him up arid
down betwixt Faithfulnefs in the Apoftle-
ftiip, and Thirty Pieces of Silver, and then
the Thief, the greedy Thief, grips the Bag
fait in his Oxter, and runs and and fells
Chrift, and the Apoirieihip too, to the Chief
Priefts, as many Covetous Minifters, they
muft either fell Presbytry to Prelats for the
World, or elfe be Faithfull Minifters and
take their hazard of loofing the World, an4
then you mall have a brave account of many
of them, prigging with the Prelats, abou£ the\
price of Pv,eligion, we will give fo much of
our Religion, and fwear 10 much of our"
E Miitfit-r/
( 34 )
Mimftry over to you, my Lords, for the
Steepcnds, but prig as they pleafe, they are
reiolved to make the Bargain, but as fecret-
ly as tilt y can, for fear of fearing the Coun-
try People, and to ratify the old Seal of Re-
ligion with a new Oath, that they call much
Bonnier then the old, fy upon the joucking
Lawns, for, for as bonny as their hew Oath
is, its but the old wrinkled Whore in Paint,
and Busk up with a new Suit to deceive
thee more. 3. 1 hefe that belong to Satan
when the Sive is put in his Hand to fift them ;
he lifts out all that appeared good in their
Practice, and fets them to commit the Coun-
trey Wickednefs, fo did he order Judas, Ju-
das had gone once in a day many a Foot to
hear Chriit Preach, but now the lifting Time
is come, and Judas .practice is altered and
he goes on the Head of a Band of armed
Men, to apprehend Chrift, and Judas once
an Apoftle of Chrifr, now it is Judas the
Guide of them that took Jefus. We fravg
experience of this fort of Work, many that
heard us Preach the Gofpel before they
fell, have fmce had an hand in fending arm'd
Men to apprehend us, but ay the more Satan
lifts his Slaves, the worfe they grow, like
■jrfba&i 2 Chron. XVIII. 28. In the Time of
his AM&ion he finned yet the more : This is
that King Aha%, that Monfcer of Nature,
that when he ihould have mended in Time
of Trouble, he grew the worfe ; I think if
this
( 35 )
lifting Time continue a little, we fliall grow
vvorfe by degrees, imtill we be lifted out of
•Reformation, Name and Thing, when this
Trouble comes quite this Truth, and when
that Aifiitiion comes quite the other Truth,
untill all the Truths be quite, that ftaiK& as a
March betwixt us and Popery ana Prelacy,
that may ibon be done.
But on the other Hand when the Lord lifts
his People, and keeps the Sive in his own
Hand the more the Perfon is lifted, the better
it grows, it hands now on the Frountire-
Truths, in time of afearfd Invafion, and
thinks now lofe one lofe all, let the Froantires
once be furrendered, and the Kingdom is
gone, they run the iaiter to the Fort,the ilrong-
erthat the Incurfionofthe Enemy be, Jude
3. They contend earneftiy for the Truth, as one
contending for his Lije above his Strength, and
in Agonie, as the Greek Imports, and in ftead
of iooiing they gain, Pfal. CXIX. 71. It is
good for me that I was affliCled, for before 1 was
ajflitledl went 0. fir ay, hut now" 1 have learned
to keep thy Laws. Satan fifrs out all that ap-
pears good, and keeps the word, but the Lord
lifts out thatwhichis Evil and prefer vech the
Good.
Ufe. 2. May we look for fifiing and trying
Times, then be notfecure, but make 'Preparati-
on that ye may be able to fiand in the IJay of
Evil, TJhalXfirft /hew you that there arc many
E 2 fad
f 36 )
fad Signs and Tokens of a Sifting Time com^
ing, j'econdy give fame \Diredionwhat todo%
in order to be able to abide toe Try ah Third,
give fome Motives to prefs you to Trepara*
uon.
The j ft Sign of lifting Times coming isniv
fruitfulnefs, what Fruits of Holinefs in
Heart I what Reformation in the Convers-
ation t What Reformation ? and righting
of what is wrong in the Church, what renew-
ing of our broken Covenant, or what pay-*
ing of our Vows to God, Luke XIII. 7.
*£befe Three Zear shave IcomefeekingFruit on
this Tree and found none, cat it down, why
Cumbreth it the Ground? 2d. Not only are
wf Barren but bear evil Fruit, ftarkPoyfon,
Dent. XXXII. 32. For their Wine is tie
yVine of Sodom, of the Field a/Gommorah,
their Grapes are Grapes of Gall,and their Chfters
are bitter, what horrid Curflog, Swearing,
Blafphemies, Adultries, Perjuries, Apoftacy,
£f alice at the Ways and People of GOD ;
fays there are fad Days coming, ihall I not
viilt for thefe Things faith the Lord, ihall not
my Soul be avenged onfuch a Nation as
this, If a. V. ,4,5;, It brought forth wild Grapes,
therefore itfloall be eaten up and troden down, 3.
The Lamentable Diviflon occafioned by
Qiths, and Practices contrary to the Gofpel,
Ifa. IX. 21- Ephraim againft Manaffeh, and
JVJanaireh agahft Ephraim, and both againft
tuojahj, and the Lord's ^iger not turned away,
but
C 37 )
but his Hand fir etched out full, Every Knave
calling out among themfelves, but all agree-
ing againlt thefe with whom any honeity ap-
peareth, li£e the fad difcord betwixt the
Herdmen of A.brajjam, and the Herdmen of
'Lot, when the Canaanite was in the Land,
and when Jfrael divided in three Factions in
Jerufalew, the Romans got thereby the ad-
vantage and Detlroyed them. 4. Our furren-
dring our Church Goverment,with an Oath to
that very Corrupt Church of England, who
differs little from Popery, unlefs in their put-
ting away Pictures of Saints yet Worihiping
them retaining almoft all the Popilh Riest, Ce-
remonies, Superftitious Days, having Pop-
ijfh Liturgies with very little amendment, al-
fothe Popiili, Surplice Mitter, Cape, and
Altars, worfhippirig Breadei\God's, Uc. ^th,
The Wind is alreadie rifmg, and the Barn
Doors call open, by the Lamentable Toller-
ation, the Winds of Erronious blowing, and
we are all like to be blinded with the Stour
of the Hudge Chaf, that is fiyir.g away
with the Wind, to all Airths and Points of
the Compafs ; and back again, and to and
fro, Pfal. 1 . The wicked are going now like the
Chaff, drfoen to and fro -with the Wind,* that
changeth their Religion as often as the Moon.
6. The Perfecuting Spirit appearing among
fallen Minifters, and fome of their Adherants
mifreprefenting the Godly, to the Magiftrate,
this fays the Lord is to bring a Sword on the
Land
( 38 )
Land, at leaf? threatens to doit, if we be not
amended, which fliall avenge the Quarrel of
his Covenant, Lev. XXVI. 25. qtUy, The
injury done to the Wheat by the Chaff, a
continual pr effing, and beguiling of Poor
well meaning People, by thefe that are fallen,
to draw them bade with them, fays the Lord,
will fet them to the Wind and make a Separ-
ation.
Now you fee great evidences of a fif ting
Tim?.. The 2d thing is to give you fome
Advices, how to carry and order to prepare
for the Try al. Fir ft, Get Grace and the re-
■7 of it, foralthougha Perfon ihall be fif-
aut of aliCo t Grace,and true Grace
yet a fere iliake, yet true Grace fliall ne-
ver totaly and finally fail, the leaft grain
of true Grace fliall not fall to the Ground.
judas Counterfif Grace went quite off, but
'Peter's Y€3l Grace tho' fhakenyet remained,
Luke XXII. 31] Satan lane fought to have thee
Simon to ftft thee as Wheat, hut I have prayed
for thee that thy Faith fail not. Faith is a Vic-
torious Grace, which puts to flight the Armies
of the Aliens, and it is the want of belie ving
what we profefs, and the want of believing
what we Preach, and in that Chrift, whom
we Preach, that makes us fly before the Ar-
mies of the Aliens. Secondly, Get real love
to Chrift and his Intereft, let lovebewith-
DUtJDiffimulatibn, love him for himfelf, not
for "his Gifts, his Word for its Purity, and
then
•1
( 39 )
then no fear, Cant. VIII. 6. 7. Many Waten
cannot quench Lo-ve, 'neither com the Floods
drown it,ii your Love to the World be re-
all, and only love in appearance to Chrift,
thou will let Chrift go and hold the World,
hard in a lifting Time. %dly, Get thy felf
flieltered in the Protection Chambers of the
Attributs, andPromifesof God, Ifa. 26. 20.
Come my 'People enter thou into thy Cham-
bers, and hide thy felf until! the Indignation he
ever pa ft, come by Repentance Faith and Obe-
dience to ttie.comman \ keep an uninter-
rupted courfe of Obedience, and God's Pro-
tection ihall be perpetual, Pfal- 105. God's
Mercies never"" end to them that fear
him, that keep his Covenant and Ms Tefti-
monies, Ifa . XLI. 10. yea 1 will help thee.
4._Get Chrifc to be furety for thee. Pfal.
CX1X. 122. Tray Lord be jurety for thy Ser-
vant for good that 1 fall 'riot to the Ground in
.the jftingTimes. 5. Lacovr to keep Con-
ference clear, thisfupported!JW., when fnt-
cd before his Judge, AGs, XXIII. 1. Men
and ^Brethren I have lined in a good
Corfcience, and in all good Conference, <
in all good Corfcience, yea in all good Qonfci-
ence before God to thisTJay, they may Condemn
but God and foe Corfcience fmeeily J^Mf%
6. Get the fear of Man rooted out of thy
Heart, and the fear of God planted in it,-
Ifa. VIII. r2, 13. Fear not their Fear but Sanc-
tify the Lord of Hoft and lei him be your Fear,
end
( 40 )
4M<1 hejhall he to you a Sanctuary, for the fear
of Man will make you fall in the Snare \ and
m.ike Mendeftroy themfelvesto efcape that trou»t
hie, that may le they would never have met
with, and although they had, would have
been for their good. 7. Get the Heart loot-
ed from the World, what made Judas fall,
and X>em%s forfake God, but the World.
2 Tim. IV. 10. Demas hath forfaken us having
loved the prejent World, and Judas fays*
What mil you give me and I will betray him to
you t If you give me the World I will fell
you my Part of Heaven and the Saviour,
but I will not do it, except I get the World,
I need never bid you ftand in a lifting Time,
except firft your Hearts be loofed from the
World. 8thly, Live within fight of an In*
vifible God, Heb. XI 27. He endured feeing
him that islnvifible, fee what he is in him-
felf, and what he is to you t and what he
hath been to you formerly, PftI XLIL
6, My God my Soul is caftdorwnin me, hut I
mil remember thee from the Land, of Jordan,
and the Hill Mifar, where formerly I expe-
rienced thy help, Mai. I. Provide for a Jifting
Time, for if you fall there, all your Prayers,
Fearing, Covenanting, Communicating are
loft and your own Souls and altogether. Ez
XXXIII. 17. All your Righteoufiiefs that you
have done, jh all not her erne mkred, but for the
Sin you have committed yejhal die ; as Gideon' $
one Ballard deitroyed his Seventy Sons. 2.
( 4* )
If thou haft made diligent Preparation, thoJ
thou be fore fhakea yet thou fhall re-
cover again, Pfal. XCIV. 1 8. When Ijaid
.my Foot Jlippetb then thy Mercy held me up,
jcetcr tho' fore fliaken, yet being before
hand provided of Grace, and a God; re-
covered again his Faith did not totaly and
finally fall, and then tho' the Lord fift the
Houfe of Scotland, as Corn isfiftedin a Sive
the leaf! Believer fliall not be loft, nor the
leaft Grain of true Grace fall to the
Ground.
Now the God of all Grace prepare you
J.or lifting Times, ftabliih ftrengthen and
comfort you^ and to his Name be Praife.
FINIS.
( It >
ERRATA.
T> EADFa C«rea ^following EmJJH
Tenuis P- 35- 1;,J VhSit r/Ghrifts, p 6. !
: n 8.-;.1.26.for athronesr. Thrones. J
ifl i\. for Day r. Days- P-iorlB'ft
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